Jericho Reimagined
by McRaider
Summary: A what if, what if Jake had an infant daughter because Anna left her baby with him. What if Emily died early on leaving room for Heather and Jake to get to know one another. What if there were more Jake and Johnston interactions. What if Johnston survived.
1. Coming Home

**Jericho  
McRaider  
Summary:** Jericho Reimagined. This is the tale of Jake and his adopted daughter Abi, a what if story.  
 **Author's Note** : So I changed things a bit, Anna was already 3 months pregnant when Jake got back and started job hunting. Freddy died earlier when she was closer to six months pregnant. Jake kept her safe because she refuses to go anywhere. Chapters will be posted once a week on Wednesdays, so as to give me time to develop and write and rewrite as necessary. Nothing is off limits here, I've already made a handful of decisions about future episodes such as big spoiler, Papa Green ain't goin' anywhere! All grammar and spelling errors are my own, I apologize. Please be kind if you're going to correct something is my only request.  
 **Disclaimer** : I own baby Abi, and that's about it. I don't own the character's from the show, nor do I own the actual lines from the original show, though I tried to keep that to an absolute minimum.

 **Chapter One – Coming Home**

It had been six hours, six hours since Anna had been declared dead, and twelve hours since her living will had left the care of one tiny newborn baby in his arms. The arms of a dangerous man who wasn't meant to have children. He'd killed people, killed a child. Terror flooded his veins at the very thought that he was supposed to somehow care for another life.

He knew Anna had family in Texas, but she'd been rather clear that her family hadn't supported her marriage to a man like Freddy, she'd been rather adamant after Freddy's death that should something happen to her, the baby was to go to Jake. Problem was, Jake didn't know the first thing about raising children.

Because he'd refused to get involved with Ravenwood, the FBI had protected both Anna and Jake; they'd spent a week in protective custody before a handful of Ravenwood operatives were caught. Now, they were safe, but it seemed like the world had a plan because here he was staring down at the tiny baby that had been placed into his arms. It was a giant metaphor the fact that he was now in charge of this little infant's life. The nurse must have seen him, must have realized his breathing had quickened. They'd understood the situation, having been prepped beforehand, Lilly, the nurse who had been with them all along, stepped over to Jake's side, "why don't I take her back to the nursery for a bit, is there anyone you can call?"

His heart was hammering in his chest, his palms felt sweaty, what if he dropped her? What if he killed her? What was he supposed to do, he didn't know how to do this. He could hear her wailing, Jesus it had only been two minutes and he'd already made the poor baby cry. He was surprised when he felt warm hands on his knees, he looked into the green eyes of the nurse and realized they looked so much like his mother's. "Breathe, Mr. Green," she soothed.

"I…I'm going to screw this up," he whispered, barely keeping it together, the lump in his throat felt like the size of a watermelon.

She smiled, "All parents think that at some point, I promise you. You're going to be fine. Is there anyone we can call for you?"

His mind went straight to his mother. In his thirty-two years he'd never for a second doubted the love she had for him. No matter what he'd done, and now he suddenly yearned for her to be there, to tell him everything was going to be okay."

"Can I use the phone?"

She gave him a warm grin, she reminded him of April as she nodded and stood, "I'm going to go feed Miss Abigail here, when you're done, why don't you come to the nurses desk and get me. We'll go over putting her in the baby carrier and everything."

He just gave her a sharp nod, unsure if he could speak right now. He watched Abi being wheeled out of the room in her bassinette and he couldn't deny an unusual pull at his heart. He'd never felt anything like it before. He glanced over at the phone on the table beside his chair and picked it up, hearing a dial tone. It would be dawn in Jericho. As he dialed the number he'd had ingrained in him since toddlerhood, he couldn't help but feel queasy.

He heard the phone ring once, and was sorely tempted to hang up. What if his father answered, what if he hung up. Jake needed help, he felt lost and scared, unlike ever before. Which considering where he'd been the last five years, that was something. He closed his eyes, holding a pregnant breath when he heard the phone get answered, but no one said anything. He could hear his father in the background.

"Hello?" He forced himself to ask, "Hello? Is anybody there? Hello?"

"Jake!" his mother's voice felt like music to his ears, and suddenly he felt utter relief like he'd never felt before. He'd only spoken to her a couple times in the last five years. He didn't realize until now how much he missed her voice. She sounded so happy to hear his voice too. "Honey, where are you?"

He could hear the tremble in her voice, he felt the ever present crushing guilt of hurting his mother who had worked so hard to ensure he was loved. He hadn't been born to them, he'd learned that in high school genetics class, they'd adopted him at infancy. Taken him and gave him all the love and kindness he never deserved. He felt his own eyes burning with an overwhelming feeling of failure. "I…I need to come home," he whispered, barely holding it together.

Gail heard something in her son's voice she hadn't heard in ages, fear. She felt her heart break for the boy. Did their beautiful boy really believe he wasn't welcome home, she knew Johnston and Jake had their fair share of issues, but Johnston still loved his son with all his heart and soul. Certainly Jake knew that. "Jake, you're always welcome here, honey."

The little control he had left over broke at that and he couldn't hold back the slight sob as he looked at the empty space where Anna's bed had been. She hadn't been his wife, but a best friend yes. He suddenly felt more alone than ever before, "Momma," he sobbed.

Gail's heart hammered in her chest at that word. She'd reared this boy since infancy, and it had been nearly twenty years since he'd called her that moniker. "Where are you, baby? I'll come to you and we can go home together," She offered, sensing he needed more support than he was willing to admit.

He closed his eyes, he didn't want to burden her, and the minute he said he was at a hospital she'd panic, "I'm fine," he lied.

"No you aren't sweetheart. Don't lie to your mother, you know better. Now tell me where you are, I can get a plane out of Denver today. Where are you?" She saw the look of irritation and contempt that her husband was shooting her. He'd call it coddling, but he didn't hear Jake's voice, or sobs.

"Please don't freak out mom," he whispered.

Gail took a deep breath, "I'm trying not to, but you're scaring me, honey."

"I'm at Sharp Memorial hospital, in San Diego," he replied. He heard his mother's audible breath intake. He had scared her, exactly what he didn't want to do.

"Are you all right? Are you hurt?" She was trying to control her own fear, when she spotted Johnston stepping forward, a look of concern in his handsome older features.

"No…mom, I'm coming home, I just…"

"Don't you dare try and talk me out of this Jacob Green. You let me pack a bag and I'll be on the first flight available. I'll see you this evening," The conviction in her tone was as much for Johnston as it was for Jake.

"Okay," Jake replied, "I love you, mom."

Gail smiled despite the situation, gripping the phone a little tighter in her hand she nodded, knowing full well her boy couldn't see her, "I love you too honey. Bye."

As Gail disconnected the call, and held the phone close to her chest, she watched Johnston carefully. "Gail you aren't going all the way to wherever the hell that boy is alone."

"He's in San Diego," she replied matter of fact. "And for your information I'm a grown adult who will do what I want. Now, you are certainly welcome to come, but I'm going one way or another and I'm bringing our boy home. You can either drive me to the airport, or get out of my way."

Johnston sighed, "I'll drive you, go pack I'll get you the tickets."

o0o

Jake hung up the phone, realizing his mother was coming here to help him, how was he going to explain this. He stood, still feeling nausea; he moved out of the room and headed over towards the nurse's desk. Lily glanced up, seeing him and noting he was a bit calmer it seemed she waved him over towards the nursery. He'd been dressed in a scrub top for sanitation, he stood outside and waited as she brought the bassinette back out, the little infant still squalling.

"Why is she crying, is she okay?"

Lily could see the genuine concern in his eyes, she pursed her lips to hide her grin, "she misses the contact. I think she's already quite taken with you."

He looked down at the baby in confusion, he wasn't her father, and how could she possibly already be attached. "That's not possible, is it?"

"Baby's are intuitive, they recognize body heat and compassion, whether we know it or not," Lily explained as they stepped back into the assigned hospital room. "We're due to release her in the morning, she looks great. She's eating well and everything."

He nodded, still numb from everything, he looked at the bag he'd packed for himself, he'd have to get Abi one probably. He'd never gone shopping in his life for a child, not since he was one and he'd hated it then. He didn't even know what babies ate when they didn't have a mom to nurse off of.

"Hey," again he felt the calm presence of Lily next to him, "One thing at a time okay, did you call your mom?"

"Yeah she'll be here in about five hours."

Lily nodded, glad to hear it, "Good, we can watch the baby a bit this evening while you go shopping with your mom to get what you need, I have absolutely no doubt the new grandma will love that. Now, you're going to get your own car seat for the baby, but we have a standard one that we use for examples."

Jake watched her with patience, occasionally asking questions, Lily explained why the car seat had to be placed facing the back at first until she weighed a certain amount. She went over how to attach the base inside the car, and when he mentioned having an older car with bench seats she explained the difference and what he would do instead. "Now, try not to worry, we'll go over all of this again with your car seat you buy tonight, promise. You have fed her yet from what I've seen, she ate recently, so when her new grandma gets here I'll show you that. Also have you changed a diaper?"

"Can't say that I have."

"Okay, let's go over that now."

He was trying to cling to his last shred of sanity as he realized the hundreds of things he'd probably done in his life. Everything was going to change, what the hell was he doing here? He had no right to parent this child, or any child for that matter.

"Hey, hey, breathe," Lily soothed, gripping his hand. The tiny infant lay wiggling around in one spot in her swaddle.

He just looked down at her miserably, staring at her with the dawning realization that he shouldn't have signed those forms. He wasn't fit to be a father, he felt like an elephant sat on his chest, his legs began to shake, and he just shook his head as he backed away. Every single memory of the past five years was assaulting him and suddenly it felt like everything was too small. He was struggling to drag air into his compressed lungs, stars dancing across his vision.

Spotting this, Lily set the baby back in her small crib once again and knelt down where Jake was now cowering. "Mr. Green, I need you to focus on my voice, come on Jake, breathe with me," she ordered. But he was already well on his way to a full blown panic attack. "I need help in here!" She shouted.

o0o

It felt like an eternity for Gail, as the taxi finally pulled up to the hospital. She took her overnight bag and thanked the man, paying him as she stepped out. As she entered the building, after nearly six hours of travel, she realized she had no information as to where to find her son. She stepped up to the front desk, wincing at the idea of sounding like a complete idiot.

"I'm looking for a Jacob Green like the color?" She asked.

The young candy striper nodded and typed something into her system, "I'm sorry ma'am I don't have a Jacob Green. Not even recently left. Do you know why he's here? I can tell you the floor he might be on." She felt her heart sink; she didn't have a clue why he was here. He hadn't said a single word about the reason; just that he was at the hospital.

Before she could say anything further, she felt a hand on her should. A young woman, probably close to Jake's age was dressed fun colored and printed scrubs, she had dark brown hair and almost clear green eyes. "You must be Jake's mom," she offered, "My name is Lily Auburn, I'm a nurse and have been caring for your son's…unique situation, follow me I'll take you to him," she offered.

Gail was unsure what to think, but did as the woman told her, they headed to a set of elevators and stepped inside, "Is he all right?" She finally asked.

Lily gave the woman a warm smile and nodded, "Aside from a little panic attack earlier, he's doing just fine. But this is definitely a situation where he needs his mom."

Gail was stunned as they stepped out into what was clearly a maternity ward, a million things entered her mind all at once. Jake had never mentioned a woman, though she imagined anything was possible. Did she have a grandchild? Was that why he'd been so upset earlier, something horrible had happened?

She remained quiet as she was led to a room with the closed door, Lily knocked lightly on the door, before pushing it open. Gail wasn't sure what she'd expected, honestly, especially after stepping off the elevator. But to see her son, sitting, whole in one piece in a rocking chair was a huge relief. He looked a bit pale, and his cheeks were red and puffy, so clearly he'd been crying. There was also a rollaway table nearby, with some water and juice on it. "Oh thank god, Jake," she whispered.

She didn't know what else was going on, and frankly she didn't care, seeing her boy propelled her forward. The dark chocolate eyes opened and as soon as he spotted his mother he was up and out of the chair and pulling her into a tight hug, one she gladly returned with fervor. Lily tiptoed out of the room to go get the baby.

"Jake, sweetheart, what's going on, why are you in the hospital? What's going on, why are you on the maternity ward?"

Jake pulled away and sighed, in most families this was a joyous moment, but he simply felt disconnected, and terrified. "Six months ago…one of my closest friends was killed…in combat," he lied about the last part, she didn't need the nitty gritty. "His wife was pregnant at the time, and she…" he closed his eyes, "She was rather adamant that should something happen to her I be given full guardianship over said baby."

Gail could see he was devastated by the losses of his two friends, and the knowledge that someone trusted him so deeply with their child was incredible. "I take it she didn't make it?" She asked gently as she took a seat in another nearby chair.

He shook his head, "We came in around 3 this morning, she was complaining of cramps and bleeding. She feared the baby was getting terminated. We got here they rushed her right into surgery. I couldn't come in, she was told her or the baby," he closed his eyes, a tear sliding down his face, "She chose the baby."

"I'm so sorry, Jake," she reached out and gently ran her hand over his stubbled chin, "And you're keeping the child?"

He shrugged, "I feel like I'm betraying her and the child if I give it up, this is all I have left of Freddy and Anna," he let his hands fall to his side, chin hitting his chest in defeat, "But I can't be a good dad," he shook his head. "Dad's going to have a field day."

Gail waved him off, "You leave your father to me. For the record he didn't feel all that different than this when you came along."

"Really?"

Gail chuckled, "Sweetheart, your father isn't as tough as he looks. He was terrified he'd break you. We wanted you so bad, but he hadn't realized all the responsibility that encompassed really."

"Tell me about it," Jake mumbled.

The door opened again and a bassinette was pushed in, a small swaddled baby lay inside, whining slightly. Gail turned and her eyes lit up, it was the first time Jake felt like things might really be okay. "She's due to be released first thing in the morning, before rounds, probably around 6:30, I thought maybe you'd like to meet your granddaughter," Lily explained.

"You have no idea," Gail's voice was thick with emotion and excitement, as Lily handed her the small baby. "That a girl, hey there princess," she whispered gently as she rocked her back and forth.

Lily glanced over at Jake, surprised to see he looked as in awe as grandma did. She chuckled, "I told Jake when you arrived he may need to go shopping to get everything you'll need. We can bring her back into the room once you guys are staying for the evening."

"Of course, oh goodness you are beautiful," she murmured as she pressed her lips to the silken forehead of the infant, the dark black hair tickling her nose. "She's perfect," before Jake could truly protest his mother handed her to him. He scrambled for a moment to prepare himself, but then as he stared at the little body he felt that familiar pull return.

"Yeah," he offered voice quiet, "She is."

"What's her name, daddy. You haven't officially given her one yet," Lily prompted; she'd been waiting to see him make the initial contact. There was a moment with most fathers when it hit them that they were daddies. Though it had taken longer with Jake, it was clear now as he stared down at the infant, his thumb rubbing her soft cheek, that the connection was finally made.

"Abigail Erica," he replied instantly, he'd mentioned Abigail to Anna months ago because of his mother and she'd fallen instantly for it. He glanced up at his mother to see her cheeks damp with tears. "After you and grandpa."

"I assure you we are both honored," Gail replied.

"I'll note the birth certificate. Why don't you two go shopping, I'll let the night nurse know to bring her back in when you return for the night. I'll bring you all the appropriate paperwork in the morning."

"Thank you," Gail smiled as she watched Lily take the baby back from her boy. She looked at Jake, who still looked overwhelmed, though it seemed like adjusting was beginning to occur. "Well this is quite the surprise," she was practically giggling in glee.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," he replied as he stood and followed her out of the room to the elevator.

"Honey, I understand, it's a complicated situation, and finding out this way was far more fun."

Jake chuckled, "I missed you mom," he pulled her into his arms and hugged her again. She took a deep breath, taking in all that was her eldest boy, until the ding of the elevator alerted them that they'd arrived back to the main entrance area.

"I missed you too, sweetheart. I'll text your dad on the way to the store asking him to book us a train ride home."

"Train?" Jake questioned.

She chuckled, "Honey, you really don't want to take a newborn up in a plane two days after her birth, she'll cry the whole time."

"Oh," he hadn't really thought about that, though it made sense, pressure changes and all that. He was starting to wonder if he really was fit to be a father again. Before he could get much further into self loathing he felt his mother's hand on his.

"Honey, give yourself time, you're going to be a wonderful dad."

Jake laughed at that, "I'm pretty sure dad and half of Jericho would disagree with you completely."

"You leave your father to me sweetheart. It's going to be fine, I promise." It took about ten minutes to get to a Baby's R US, as they stepped inside, Jake realized this was it, there was no going back.

"I don't have any money," he murmured.

Gail gripped his hand, "As a grandma it's my job to ensure my little one is well cared for, don't worry. Come on, lets find some cute outfits, a carrier, we'll keep it down to that, you can stay in Denver or Rogue River and grab the rest once we get home."

"Okay, um, lets go look at clothes I guess," Jake said as he headed to the wracks of baby clothes.

"I'd say lets get a handful of onsies, and footie stuff, for now and as she grows, that way we can go shopping as she gets older."

He nodded, picked out a handful of clothes that featured various adorable animals and patterns. He found himself excited as he grabbed things, his mom grabbed an econo pack of diapers and put those in the cart. "Isn't that a bit…excessive right now?"

She laughed at him, "Trust me, you'll go through them very quickly," she moved over to baby bags, "Unfortunately most of these bags are going to be rather feminine, but look through them and see what you like, I'm going to go get some formula."

"Formula?"

Gail chuckled, "Sweetie, I don't know if you noticed but she has to eat, and she doesn't have a mommy to nurse from."

His face grew serious, "I'm a total screw up, I hadn't even really-"

"Sweetie," she pressed her hand to his cheek, "That's why you called me, it's okay to be overwhelmed," she rubbed her thumb against his jaw line for another moment, before heading down the isle.

He sighed, trying to draw his emotions back under control, he found himself terrified again. Taking another deep slow breath, he spotted a bag in the back, it was military camouflage green backpack he grabbed that one, since he'd been in the army briefly. He knew he'd have to explain it to his mom, but he was far less afraid of that. Remembering what Lily had told him about a car seat he moved over to the next isle and found a car seat that was convertible from just a seat and would sit on a stroller as well. It was dark pink and black, deciding he liked that one and it was easy to maneuver he grabbed that and put the other things they'd grabbed into that, leaving the car behind him.

He stepped down the next isle and found an isle filled with stuffed animals. He grinned, glancing back towards his mother who was still scouring the food sections, he looked at one particularly adorable purple and gray stuffed elephant, and decided she needed that one specifically. He grabbed that and put it in the stroller, he heard a chuckle and whirled around to see his mother with an armful of formula. "Mom that's enough to feed her for like a year!" he stated.

"I'm her grandma, it's my job to make sure she's well stocked, and don't think I didn't see you grab that adorable elephant. You're going to be just like your father."

"What do you mean?" Jake asked as they made their way to the check out stations.

Gail smiled, "I forgot you haven't really heard the story about you coming with us yet. Well, we were told about you a month and a half in advance. The mother had been debating keeping the child for a little while, but ultimately at only 17 she was pushed into giving you up by her parents. So we got the call that you were going to be ours, you wouldn't have believed your dad. Always the one to be cautious and calm about things said within moments we needed to go out and buy everything for you. He and EJ spent nearly forty-five minutes in the toy aisle arguing over farm animals, which is naturally what EJ wanted, vs. puppies."

Jake chuckled, "Who won?"

Gail grinned, a cheeky shy grin, that told him neither man had won, "Let's just say mom's always get their ways. You got green elephants because they were adorable." Jake laughed as they finished paying and headed back out to the parking lot. "I'm going to call your father to book the train ride, why don't you go ahead and pack the car up, okay?"

"Thanks mom."

Gail pulled out her cell and dialed, waiting until she heard her husband's handsome voice on the other end "Hello?" He spoke.

"Hi honey, how's everything at home?" Gail greeted.

"Fine, how's our young man?"

Gail considered how much to share, she felt that telling someone they were a grandfather was best told in person, especially considering the situation. "Jake is doing better, he's not the one in the actual hospital. If you could reserve us three seats on a train first thing in the morning that would be great."

"Jake found himself a girl, huh?"

Gail smirked, as she considered just how true that statement was, "Something like that. Anyway, we're going to make a couple stops on the way home, but I believe Jake still has his car at the station, so no need to pick us up."

"All right, long as your sure, just…call me when you get in the area, all right? Is this serious, or is he bringing some floozy home?"

Gail sighed, her husband was going to be the hardest part of getting Jake through parenthood. "I think you'll like this girl."

"Right," Johnston didn't sound terrible convinced, "I'll get you the ride, I'll have the tickets ready when you get there and waiting. You gonna tell me her name, or is it a surprise."

"You like surprises, Johnston, remember."

"No I don't!" he replied.

"Bye honey," she grinned and hung up as he replied in kind.

o0o

By nearly five thirty the following morning, son, grandma and granddaughter were headed to the train station in San Diego. It would take six hours to get to Denver, and another 3 hours to get to Jericho.

They were picking up some things in Denver, a crib and such. At the moment however, Jake was seated in the corner against the window, holding rather greedy infant while he fed her. Gail had to admit it was the sweetest thing she thought she'd never see. He spoke to her occasionally, or would stroke her tiny toes that were sticking out occasionally. It was clear something had changed in him over the course of several hours they'd spent together. He was warming up to the idea of fatherhood and becoming rather fond of the infant.

"Sweetheart, there's something I haven't told you quite yet."

Jake glanced up, the smile on his face still present; she almost wished she didn't have to tell him this. "What's wrong?"

"Your grandfather passed away a few months ago."

The smile faded from his face, she could see his jaw tighten as he tried to swallow a few times. He looked down at the baby, who he held just a bit closer, "I guess you don't get to meet great-grandpa EJ," he whispered, his voice on edge and close to breaking. "He would've adored you," he whispered. A tear slid down his face and dropped to her small hand.

She reached the same hand out and pressed it to his nose; he smiled despite the situation and pressed a kiss to the tiny little palm. "I love you, squirt," he murmured. "How're you going to tell dad about her?" He asked, changing the subject, not wanting to break down further in front of his mother.

"I imagine I'll let him hold her, man is a sucker for a cute lady."

Jake chuckled at that, "Too much info mom."

"He has missed you son," she offered some time later, they'd strapped the little one into back seat where she was now cuddled up with the toy elephant that was practically the same size as her. They'd bought far too much in Denver and were now headed to their home, completely packed full of furniture and everything they would need for the foreseeable future for Abi.

Jake's mouth curved down, "Right, clearly you mean he missed being disappointed in me. I didn't ask for this," he sighed, his left arm leaning against the driver's side door as it all but held his head up. "I could've given her up…I thought about it." He had, for several hours. For nearly three hours he'd considered all the pros and cons, he was terrified of being a parent, he was dangerous, and he'd killed people. Now here he was, supposedly capable of caring for an infant. "I…I killed people mom. I'm not safe, but I wanted a fresh start. I knew I'd be safe here, we'd be safe here. I just," he shook his head and looked out the side window.

Gail studied her boy for a long moment, before reaching out and gently stroking his hair, "Johnston will come around. You don't give him enough credit, be honest with him, he's had a few trials of his own you know."

"What if he doesn't love her, when I tell him the truth? No one can know, and I can't tell dad about…about the military."

"Jake, your father is going to love her no matter what. He's a huge softie and you know it."

"Maybe," Jake didn't kid himself about the utter disappointment he was to his father, and Johnston hadn't exactly been subtle about it either. He'd never feared his father, the man's disappointment and general disapproval had been plenty for Jake.

They were less than five miles outside the city when Jake spotted it, "What the hell," he whispered, even his mother looked as they watched a mushroom cloud erupt from where they had been not two and a half hours earlier.

"JAKE!" his mother screamed, a second later he felt the harsh impact as another on coming vehicle swerved into their lane, he was crushed sideways, slamming his head into the window as it shattered into pieces, he felt jolting agony in his thigh, and his last thought was about Abi and his mom before he lost consciousness.

o0o

Johnston looked down at his cell phone that continued to have no reception, his heart ached and he was terrified, petrified in fact that he'd just lost his wife and son in the explosion in Denver.

"Dad?" Eric spoke, touching his father's arm to get his attention. He couldn't focus on that now, he wasn't ready, and instead he turned to face the angry and terrified parents. He tried not to take it personally when one of them told him he didn't have a child lost out there. No, he probably didn't. His had probably been blown to damn pieces in the explosion, giving him no chance to apologize for mile wild chasm that lay between them.

"Jake! Jake!" the voice kept repeating, he groaned as he came to, the pounding in his head increased tenfold as he tried to move his head, he felt someone support his head and neck, then he tried to move and he cried out in pain. "Jake, baby, don't move," his mother's voice reassured him.

"Mom?" he tried to recall what had happened, the mushroom cloud, idiot drivers who swerved towards him. His eyes shot open and he looked over at her, "Are you all right!? Abi!?" He tried to turn but another spike of agony in his leg stopped him.

"Breathe, sweetie. We're both fine. Well…I might have whiplash, but I'm fine, and Abi is just fine. You lost consciousness, where are you hurt?"

He groaned as he got a good look at the inside of his car, "I'm fine mom," he groaned, he opened his car door and went to move his leg, before he cried out in pain again. He looked down to see a shard of metal sticking out of it, he leaned his head back, trying not to sob. "We need to get moving, it's going to get dark soon."

"Have you lost your mind, you've got a serious concussion, and you can't walk on that leg, what about Abi?"

Jake shook his head, trying to breathe through the pain like he'd been taught: In through his nose, out through his mouth. In. Out. In. Out, "Mom, we have to get moving. It's not safe out here, who knows what is coming. I'll ask Eric to come tow the car later. Grab Abi's carrier and lets go," he forced himself out of the car, biting his lip as he tried to put weight on it, the metal was in his thigh, he was loosing a fair amount of blood, but for now he'd just have to push through.

He came around to the front of the car, he wanted to grab as much of the baby stuff as he could, but with the risk it'd slow him down, it was better off out here for now. "Honey, are you sure you're okay?" Gail clearly didn't believe him, but he nodded.

"We're seven, maybe ten miles out, we can make it shortly after dark, can…can you carry her?" He looked down at the carrier and was thankful and relieved to see her eyes were open, but was otherwise completely unharmed. He tried not to consider it a miracle as he didn't believe in them anymore.

"Of course, let's go."

o0o

They were about three miles out of town when he heard the screaming, "Jake," Gail whispered as she saw the two children. He whirled around without a second thought and hobbled quickly towards the children, "What's wrong, are you all right?" He asked the two kids.

"They're dying! Hurry," the little girl cried. He glanced back at his mother before he hurried after them, she followed as quickly as she could. "The deer went crazy, Mrs. Green! And started running all over the road," Julia explained as they hurried to the bus.

"All right," Jake grimaced at the sight of the dead dear, "Just don't look at it," he was the first on the bus, testing to see if the driver was alive.

"Is he?" Gail stopped as she stepped inside.

"He's alive, there's an empty seat, help me move him back, you can set Abi there," Jake instructed. He saw another adult, a woman sitting back looking like the was close to throwing up across from the seat he was going to put the driver in, "You okay?"

She nodded, "Yeah, I think my leg is broken," she ground out.

Gail moved over towards the young woman, "Can you move your toes?"

"Yeah, don't worry about me," she waved to the children.

Jake took quick action, military training kicking in, assess and treat. "Anyone hurt? Anybody?"

"Stacy's sick," one little boy towards the back of the bus called. "She can't breathe," he announced pointing to the seat in front of him.

Jake hobbled back there, he spotted the girl lying down, both hands on her neck as she struggled to pull air in. "Hey Stacy, it's okay, can I see it, please?" he asked, glad when she finally removed her hands. The swelling was horrible, she'd probably crushed her esophagus. "Do you have an ice pack, we need to stop the swelling now!"

"Lucas, there's a first aid kit un the seat," Heather instructed.

He was handed the ice pack, he quickly gave it a jolt to make it cool and then pressed it to her throat gently. "Hurts," she whimpered, before her eyes slid closed and the breathing stopped.

"Stacy? Stacy, no, no no no!" he shouted, he felt his heart sink into his chest he glanced back around the bus, his mother's wide eyes staring at him. "Think, come on Jake," he murmured to himself, then it clicked, "I need a pen! Does anyone have a pen!?"

"We have pencils," Lucas offered.

Jake shook his head, "No, it needs to be a tube, how about a straw, anyone have a straw, it's hollow."

"I do," Julia offered, she handed her straw to Jake.

"It's too small, does anyone else have one?" He was pleasantly surprised when the chorus of I do surrounded him. "Good, get them out, give all your straws to, what's your name?" he asked the girl.

"Julie."

"Give all your straws to Julie. Julie, form a circle with them and tape them together with the Band-Aids. Quick, hurry. Mom, can you come here and hold her down."

Gail knew he was doing a tracheotomy, what she didn't know was how he knew how to do it. She moved back to him, scooting into the seat, he pulled out his pocket knife, sterilizing it with one of the wipes from the first aid kit, he took a deep breathe and pressed it against her throat, "Okay," he sighed, another soothing breath before pressing the blade in and slicing a small line, "Straws?" he requested, taking them from Julie. He was muttering under his breath to himself, as he slid it into the air way, praying it worked. When she didn't breathe he felt his heart begin to pound, "Come on, come on," he took a deep breathe and breathed into the straws, watching her lungs inflate, pulling away he waited. "Please breathe," he murmured, again another burst of air through the straws, his own lungs burning from effort.

A tiny gasp startled him and he let out a huff of exhaustion and thanks, she looked up at him with wide eyes, as he rubbed his thumb against her throat. "Mom, can you get me some Band-Aids to hold this in place?"

"Jake, are you okay?" she asked as she took his spot by Stacy to keep the straws in place and reassure the child.

"Fine mom," he lied. Truthfully he felt like he'd fall over any second, his entire leg ached and was starting to bleed more. His ribs were killing him and his head felt like it was trying to play an all drum marching band against his skull. "Let's go home," managed to back the bus up and head towards town.

"Where'd you learn to do that?" Lucas asked.

Jake glanced back at his mother for a moment, "Military school, he admitted."

"Are you a solider!?" Another child asked with excitement.

Jake gave a huff of amusement, "No, just a screw up," he replied, never seeing his mother's look of devastation that he thought such a thing.

He was starting to see double and feel nausea. His thoughts as he struggled to keep driving towards his town revolved around his daughter. If he fell asleep and crashed the bus they'd die, of that much he was sure. So he struggled with every last ounce of energy he had, despite the splitting headache and the jarring and occasional stab in his thigh. He honked the horn half a dozen times, praying the mass of people would see them, he was seconds away from letting the oblivious and darkness take him. As he opened the door and people started to enter he tried to shout for the EMTs to help them, but it came out more like a pleading request of a dying man.

Jake looked over at the woman he didn't know, "What's your name?"

"Heather," she was still in pain, but managed a smile, what's yours?"

"Jake."

"Nice to meet you Jake."

He managed a weak nod, "You too," he replied watching them take Stacy off the bus.

When he saw his father and Eric step into the doorway, the utter relief that filled the pale old face was enough to make Jake want to sob, "Dad," he groaned.

"Eric, help your brother," Gail moved the baby carrier off the bus and stepped out of the way.

"Is that a baby?" Johnston asked.

"Not right now, Johnston," as she thrust the carrier and baby into Johnston's arms and helped maneuver Jake out of the bus.

Jake felt the steady heat of his brother as the taller man stepped under his arm and helped him off the bus, "Put your arm around me," Eric soothed as another EMT came over to them. He gasped as he felt something in his chest pull. He'd hit the side of the door too, he imagined his left side ribs were bruised.

"Gonna throw up," he'd barely eaten anything but as the concussion made itself more known while he moved he felt him stomach rebelling. Eric grimaced as the little food his brother had splashed in front of them.

"I got ya brother," Eric soothed, as he and the EMT got him up and into the ambulance, Gail climbing in behind him, she took the baby carrier back from her husband, who was still looking confused. The man looked like he was about to say something but shook his head and just turned away from all of it to talk to his town.

"Eric, get April. We'll meet you at the medical center," Gail ordered as she sat beside her son.

"Okay," Eric began to move away.

"Hey, there's an empty prison bus out there," Jake forced out as he shook from pain and exhaustion. He just wanted to close his eyes and sleep.

"Where abouts?" Eric questioned.

"Cedar Run," he offered automatically, he could feel his mother rubbing his bruised knuckles. "Also, we crashed the car about five and a half miles outside of town, get a tow…baby stuff in it."

Eric, deciding it was best not to ask just nodded, "Alright. Just relax. We'll take care of it," his brother assured him, before leaving him alone with his mother.

"Oh God. Look at you! You're a mess," she looked down at the metal in his leg that was soaking his pants with blood.

"I'm fine. Stop worrying about me," he groused through clenched teeth, his jaw tight, he looked up at her as he wiped the sweat from his face.

"Good luck with that," she replied, her tone filled with sarcasm, she studied the side of his head, head wounds always bled profusely, it looked fairly shallow.

"I was afraid I'd never this city again," she whimpered, her eyes filling with tears, as she looked over the bloody mess that was her eldest boy. She still couldn't fathom the man before her, he would always be the sweet little boy who was prone to nightmares and loved a good snuggle before bedtime.

"You think I'd let dad have the last word?" he smirked, his eyes closing briefly.

"Quit talkin' about me," the tone was supposed to be joking and playful, but as Johnston saw the look of disappointment and sadness in his son's eyes, he realized it didn't sound that way at all. Johnston felt horrible for what he'd said to his boy years earlier.

Then the thought that his eldest was missing when they were having a huge crisis, he'd been equally as terrified they'd never see him or Gail again, he wanted to be relieved but a part of him still couldn't believe this had all happened. But his pride got in the way, even as his wife gave him the coldest look he'd ever felt and seen in his lifetime. "You did well out there today. Your grandfather would be proud," he offered, because that's all he could stomach right now through his own self loathing. "I'll meet you at the medical clinic."

o0o

April met the barely conscious Jake Green and his mother along with the baby at the entrance. "Is that a baby?"

"Check her over," Jake instructed weakly, "Please, check her first."

April looked at Jake, he looked far worse off than the poor baby, but she assumed there was a reason for his insistence, "Okay," she looked back to the EMTs, "get him in one of our exam rooms, while I give her the once over."

"Gail, you want to explain just what the hell is going on here?" Johnston was at his wits end, he was tired and his relief at seeing his wife and son healthy and safe was starting to shift into irritated exhaustion.

Gail turned and looked at her husband, her eyes swam with tears before she threw herself into his arms. He was all too happy to return the hug as she wept into his shoulder, "I was afraid when I saw the mushroom cloud."

"You're telling me, I thought for sure I'd just become a widower," he shivered at such a thought. He kissed her lips, and then looked at the baby. "Who's baby?"

"Her name is Abigail Erica."

Johnston looked shock, "Where's her mother, never mind that, who is her mother? Is she Jake's?"

Gail sighed and shook her head, "Jake had some friends who died recently, and unfortunately one of them was her mother, when she was born. The mother was adamant about willing all guardian ship to Jake."

"He's a father?"

"He is now."

Johnston felt like he needed to sit down suddenly. Before he could completely come undone, April handed the baby to him, "Meet your granddaughter, grandpa."

"Oh god," he whispered as he accepted the infant into his arms. She was absolutely beautiful. Olive skinned, a dark tuft of hair on her beautiful head and dark brown eyes staring up at her. "Well then," he whispered as he took a seat in a nearby chair.

"I'm going to go check on Jake," April offered.

Johnston didn't reply, he just continued to stare at the beautiful baby girl in his arms. Suddenly he realized what EJ had felt like probably holding his grandson the first time. "Oh dad," he whispered, thinking about his father. Of all the ways he could've imagined the world could change, nuclear war and a granddaughter wasn't exactly what he'd considered.

o0o

When he came to he was in an individual hospital room, a small bandage on his hair line and his pants had been replaced by a pair of shorts with a thick gauze bandage around his leg. He was up at a slight angle. His head still hurt, but not as bad as before, he glanced around and was surprised to see his father sitting in a at his side; he held Abi in his arms. The angry features he was used to seeing were smoothed over as the man chatted idly to the infant, as if she was paying attention to his every word.

It took a few seconds for Jake to focus enough to hear the words his father was saying, he was talking about grandpa, and how EJ Green had been an incredible pilot. As his father hadn't seen him yet, Jake decided to feign innocence, he closed his eyes and acted, "Mom?" he called, slowly opening his eyes this time, admittedly he was still trying to blink away the sleep and whatever medications April had dosed him with.

"She went home to get some clean clothes for you, it's just me, son. Well, me and my gorgeous little granddaughter," he stood and smiled at the little baby, before handing her over to her father.

Jake made sure he was awake enough to take her, he looked down at her and smiled, "Hey you," he murmured, "Daddy got clobbered a bit, sorry. Is she okay?" He pressed a light kiss to her soft hair. "Were you getting to know grandpa?"

"April checked her out first, she's absolutely fine, apparently you strapped her and her carrier in absolutely perfectly. How ya feeling, son?"

Jake considered his answer for a moment, he felt better than yesterday, but still felt sore, "Okay I guess. Is she okay? Has she been fed?"

A look of mild surprise crossed Johnston's aged features, before he concealed them behind his usual mask, "Your mother fed her about an hour or so ago. Does she ever cry, don't think I've heard her mutter a whimper."

Jake ran a finger over her olive skinned cheek and nodded, "She cries, just not often. Guess I got lucky."

Johnston watched his son for a long moment, the look of utter love and amazement was one Johnston was familiar with. He'd had the very same look on his face nearly 32 years ago. How had he gotten it so wrong he wondered? How had he misjudged his boy and why so quickly? Yes, as a boy and young man, Jake hadn't been a very good person. He'd made terrible and stupid decisions. The man before him, however was different, the selfishness was gone, the anger, everything that had defined his son as Jake Green had clearly changed at some point.

Before Johnston could say anything further, the door to the room opened and his mother stepped in, with April right behind him. "You're awake," Gail's grin was brighter than any electricity could generate.

Jake gave her a smile, "Seems we both are," he bounced her ever so slightly in his arms and looked over at his father, "How is everything in town?"

Johnston glanced at his wife who still looked a bit irritated with him, "Everything is quiet for now. A few of the towns people found out you had a baby and have donated some stuff for you; it's back at the house, by the way, and Eric brought your car back about twenty minutes ago, he and Stanley are unpacking everything in the house. You let your mother buy the place out didn't you?"

"Like you wouldn't have," mumbled Gail grinning as she brushed the hair off her boy's forehead.

"All in all, today went much better than it could have. It's good to have you back, Jake." April offered, as she moved around the bed to his leg injury. Gail moved forward and reached for the baby from Jake, who willingly gave the girl over. "You really need to stay off this for a day or two."

Jake snorted, "I think you and I both know that won't happen," as he pushed himself forward, but as soon as he put weight on the leg he just about collapsed, the only thing catching him was his father.

"Son, do yourself a favor, and take a load off, at least until dawn. For right now, the town can survive without you," despite how much Jake clearly wanted to fight Johnston, he nodded and allowed himself to be put back onto the bed.

"I have to find a place to live and…"

Gail shook her head, "You're staying with us, and we've already set up your room and everything."

Jake stared at her, confused for a moment as to how anyone would want to help him, "Really?"

April smirked; she forgot how dense and sweet her brother-in-law could be,

As Gail handed her granddaughter back to her son, she reached out and stroked his cheek. He was in complete awe that anyone would want to help him, she worried they'd done more damage when he was young. "You're home now Jake," she assured him, just relax. I brought you a change of clothes for tomorrow; they'll release you in the morning."

The infant in his arms started crying and a kicking suddenly, getting fussy. Jake reached out and gripped one of her little hands. He smiled and began to hum a song, something his mother had sung to him as a child. April slipped out of the room, as did Johnston; Gail continued petting her son's silken hair, occasionally joining him in a round of Hey Jude. Johnston watched the trio fall asleep and smiled at the new normal they were about to have, his life had been up ended in one day, and yet as he watched his wife, son and new grandchild he couldn't help but feel happy that at least one thing had changed.


	2. The Fallout

**A/N:** Major Character Death in this Chapter, just a warning in advance. Also all grammar and spelling errors are my own, sorry in advance, if its anything major let me know happy to fix it.

 **Chapter Two – Fallout**

Abi was fast asleep in the hospital nursery, when Jake decided to check on things outside, he was more than a little nervous about potential weather headed their way due to the bomb. The discovery from Dale that there'd been another explosion yesterday in Atlanta had set everyone on edge, and while Jake wanted to admit maybe it was an accident, he knew deep down in his bones this was anything but accidental. He went around the back of the building and started ascending the ladder to get to the roof; his leg still ached, though now it was clad in gauze and jeans. He pulled himself up to each rung, getting closer and closer to the top. He hadn't been officially released yet, but with only one doctor max the likelihood of April keeping him in one of the beds was slim to none, after all as far as he was concerned there were plenty of others who would probably need the bed more.

As he pulled to the top he took a look out towards Denver, the mix of clouds laden with leftover ash, and storm clouds was looming over the city like the coming apocalypse. The wind was blowing and the looming sight of it made him sick to his stomach. "Oh god," he whispered, before whirling around and sliding carefully back down the ladder, hobbling as fast as he could.

He was limping through the corridor when his mother moved towards him, "Jake, where have you been? You haven't even been released yet," she looked at her wits end with him, he felt bad for that, but he really didn't have time to explain himself.

"Where's April?" He asked, overriding her questions.

"Down the hall seeing to Heather, why, what's going on?" Gail questioned as she hurried behind her son.

He brushed past her towards the exam rooms, "Get dad on the radio!" he ordered before he was out of ear shot. He stepped into the exam room down the hall where Heather and April were talking. Stopping he was pleased to see that Heather looked much better than she had on the bus. "Jake!" she greeted him, smiling wide, practically beaming really.

"Hi Heather, feeling better?" They didn't really have time for idle chit chat, but he felt excited to talk to her, to see her. He couldn't quite explain it.

"Much, is everything okay?"

He shook his head looking to April, "Does the medical center have a fallout shelter?"

"Sure, I'll take you to it. What's going on?" She turned and headed out the door, Jake followed her best he could, with Heather right behind him. "I'm not sure the last time anyone was actually down here," she offered as they took the stairs at the end of the hall down. She unlocked the door and pushed it open. The trio stood there in abject horror at the filthy, musty sight before them. Rats running around, water dripping on the floor.

"I can't put people down here!" April snapped, her mind going to the hundreds of staph infections that could be caused.

Jake shook his head as he pushed into the room, as if he was in a state of denial at the idea that they were about to suffer through this. "There's no air, no air at all…I hope this fan works, otherwise…we're going to have to find somewhere else," he whispered.

Heather looked at him, "I can have a look at it I know a few things about engineering."

Jake sighed, "I'll be right back, I need to talk to my brother," he hurried back out of the room, running directly into his mom upstairs. "Mom!"

"You're not supposed to be out of bed yet, what is going on?" she questioned.

Jake shook his head, "Not right now mom, take Abigail and go to the other fallout shelter," he ordered as he moved towards the nursery where he'd left the radio.

Gail huffed and followed him, "I'm not going anywhere, and these people need help and what about you?"

"Mom! I'm not going to argue with you," his whisper was desperate, and closed his eyes, trying to figure out how to best get to her. "Mom, there's a fall out from the nuclear blast headed this way, the shelter downstairs is filled with medical equipment and currently has no air. I don't even know if we can fix it. There's no way I can concentrate knowing you and Abi are here, so go," his tone was firm but calmer. He was terrified; over two hundred people would die if he didn't get it fixed.

Gail eyed him for a moment, then looked down at Abi who was clearly aware of the adults around her as she'd started fussing and crying. She felt her resolve soften, she had just gotten her boy back in her life, and now this little princess too. "Promise me you'll come to the shelter when it's fixed," she reasoned. When he didn't immediately reply she felt her eyes tearing up.

"Mom-" He couldn't make promises right now.

"Promise me!" she snapped he saw it in her eyes, the same fear he'd seen the last time he'd walked away from her.

He couldn't hurt her again, even if it meant lying. He looked down at Abi, he wanted to keep the world safe for her, even if it meant someone else was around to raise her. He pressed a feather light kiss to her hair, and then looked back at his mother, "I promise," he lied, she grabbed him with one arm and hugged him tight, which he greedily returned as he felt his daughter kicking at his belly.

She finished, pulling away, she recahed out, cupping his cheek, "I want all my boys with me," she stated firmly.

"Okay, go mom," he gestured down to the infant. "Just be safe okay," he kissed his mother's cheek and took the radio, hobbling back downstairs. "Eric?"

"I'm here, Jake."

"I just sent mom over to City hall."

"I thought you had a shelter there," Eric's reply was one of confusion.

Jake closed his eyes, pressing the radio to his head as he tried to push through the pain, "There is, but it may not be functional. Just keep her there, okay, and Abi, and Dad too," Jake ordered.

"You got it; I'll let you know when she's here."

Jake nodded, despite the fact that Eric wouldn't see it. He headed back downstairs, April was talking to a group of nurses and orderlies, some older gentleman probably maintenance was doing something with the air vent, while Heather was working on the fan belt.

"How's it going?"

"The fan-belt has frayed; any mid-century American car would be a good match. Also we need to check the pressure before we turn it on so the motor doesn't overheat."

He nodded, "I'll go look for the fan belt," he replied as he turned to head back out, while he heard Heather tell the old man he was doing something wrong. He had to admit he liked her spunk, she was sweet and hilarious, and nothing like he'd dated before. Then again he'd only ever dated Emily and that had turned into a near disaster.

o0o

Eric was giving instructions to people as they brought their families in, when he heard his mother's familiar voice; he glanced over to see her walk in, "Jake, its Eric, mom and Abi just arrived."

"Good, thanks Eric. We may have a bigger problem though."

"Johnston, you're supposed to be resting," Gail commented as Eric moved closer.

"I know, I just have to help Eric get the supplies in."

Gail shook her head, "I've already sent people to do that."

Johnston practically huffed with indignation, "Gail, who's in charge here?" He demanded.

Gail's look turned ice cold, and Eric felt himself back away slightly so as not to take on any verbal barrage, "You mean aside from the spat mom and dad are having?" he replied quietly into his radio. He heard his brother chuckle on the other side.

"You do NOT want to play that game with me, Johnston Jacob Green." She was terrified about her sons, she was afraid her husband was ill. Fear filled her veins.

Before Johnston could reply, thankfully, one of his men came in carrying all the books he could find in the library on nuclear bombs. Once Hawkins had sufficiently terrified everyone within ear shot he glanced at his wife and decided he needed a little space, "There's a bunch of people in the church, they held a vigil there all night, I'm gonna go make sure they go to the shelter." He gave his granddaughter's head a gentle caress, before making his way towards the exit.

"Hurry back," Gail called after him.

"Yes ma'am."

Gail turned to Eric, "And it wasn't a spat."

o0o

Heather shook her head at the cantankerous man of a maintenance guy who insisted on starting the fan before it was ready, "I'm telling you, they need replaced, the bushes are shot they're rubbing too high-" before he or she could argue further sparks flew in every direction.

"Turn it off!" Jake shouted as he ran over to the main power switch. As it came to a grinding halt he realized that was the horrific sound of failure. He closed his eyes in defeat, shoulders sagging as he wracked his brain to think of other places that were safe.

"Jake, I've got everyone ready, what now?" April asked as she stepped into the doorway.

"Don't let them in!" he snapped as he turned around and looked at her, the faces of terrified children staring back at him.

April looked stunned and concerned, "The rain is going to be here soon, these people are terrified. Where are we supposed to go?"

He didn't know, he could feel the edge of the precipice of control rapidly fading, taking a calming breath he shook his head, "If we seal them in here they're going to die. Let's try town hall, there's buses outside."

"You're the boss," she turned and rapidly started firing off instructions.

Heather stepped over to Jake and gripped his hand, "We'll find something," she offered.

He squeezed her hand in return, "I hope you're right," the two limped out of the shelter and back up towards the exits. "Dad? Dad are you there?" he called into the walkie talkie.

"It's me, Jake. Dad's checking out the church."

"The shelter's shot, I'm bringing everyone to town hall."

Eric shook his head, "Hold on there, Jake. I don't think we can hold that many people. What about a basement?"

"They don't have basements, Eric," Jake all but sneered, "That's why you sent them to us, remember?" Before he could say more his sister-in-law snapped the walkie out of his hand.

"Eric we've got two hundred people here. Some of whom need medical attention, handle it! We're coming." she snapped, before thrusting the device back to him. Jake just stared at her in awe, he had forgotten just how terrifying the Green woman could be some days. "Sorry, sometimes my husband needs a kick."

Jake snickered, "You don't have to tell me, I grew up with him, remember."

April smiled and nodded, "Let's get everyone ready."

Heather sat behind Jake on the bus, "You're scared," she whispered.

Jake nodded as he put the bus in gear, "If town hall can't take us…I don't know where to go," he offered. "Plus, Emily is missing."

"She was headed to pick up her boyfriend Roger yesterday, oh god I hadn't even," before she could get further in her worry, Jake reached back and gripped her hand.

"I'm sure she's fine, I'm just…worried is all. We'll find out."

Heather smiled, it was a shy smile, like she couldn't quite believe he was paying attention to her. "I don't know how you stay so calm, and have everyone following you so easily," she whispered, she was in awe of him at times.

He chuckled, deep from his stomach, "If it makes you feel better, I'm afraid of three day old baby, so how you handle a dozen or so six year olds at a time boggles my mind."

Heather laughed at that, "It certainly does take a skill. We both have our gifts, don't we?"

"How are you at fixing cars?"

"All right, my dad taught me a few things, why?"

Before he could answer town hall came into view, Jake pulled himself up using the steering wheel in front of him and hobbled down the stairs, ready to give direction.

"Whoa, whoa, people, don't get off the bus, I'm sorry we can't take you!" Eric called his hands up in a halting motion.

"Eric, what the hell?" Jake demanded.

"They can't come in Jake, I'm sorry."

"What do you mean?" He said in confusion, he could feel Heather standing behind him, one of her hands on his shoulder.

Eric shook his head, "I'm sorry, we're at capacity, anymore and everyone will suffocate."

"I've got a whole bus load of people who need shelter!"

April stepped up with the incubator, "Are you really going to turn all these people away, Eric? Turn your wife away?!"

Eric sighed, "We can take ten people, and I saved a spot for you," he replied trying desperately not to glare at her.

Jake realized something and looked at Gray, "Gray, how many people will the salt mines hold?"

Gray shrugged, "As many as you want, but do you really think that's a good idea?"

Jake held up his hand, "It has ventilation right, and water?"

"Well…yeah but-"

Jake looked back at his brother and April, "Pick the ten most critical, they stay here, everyone else goes to the mines. We have to leave right now! Hurry!"

"Jake!" His mother called from the building.

"Where's Abi?"

"Gracie Lee has her, have you seen your father, he was supposed to get the people from the church?"

Jake shook his head, "No, sorry, mom I have to go, we have to head to the mines."

"Are you crazy?!"

Gray interrupted, "The church got back twenty minutes ago, and he wasn't with them."

"Eric!?" Gail asked her younger son.

Eric held up his hands again, "Mom, we'll find him, I promise. Jake, leave me ten people and go to the mines."

"Make it 11," Shep offered, "Twenty-seven years no one knows that place like me."

Gray nodded, "Twelve, I should be there too."

"Let's go!" he shouted. As he sat back down next to Heather, she gripped his bicep.

"We're going to be okay."

He nodded, because he really wanted to believe that. His mind went to Abi, she deserved better than this. She deserved to live in a world that was safe. He couldn't give her that now. All he could do was fight every moment of the day to ensure she remained safe and that his parents remained safe. "You're worried about the baby?" Jake nodded, amazed at how perceptive Heather was. Then again she had to watch children all day. "Is she yours?"

Jake knew on some level Heather was trying to distract him until they got to the mine, "Yes and no, a friend of mine and his wife's daughter, but they both died and left me her guardian."

"Sounds like they have a world of faith in you."

"Yeah," he murmured.

Heather's brow creased at his response, "Why do you seem upset at that?"

"Because people aren't safe around me," he replied and before she could ask any further questions he shot out of his seat as they stopped at the mines.

Gray, Shep and Jake were the first three off, "I can get twelve people down the elevator at a time, is that okay?" Gray asked.

Jake shrugged, "It's all we can do; now we need to figure out how to seal the entrance."

Shep shook his head, "Mines don't exactly come with built in doors, Jake."

"I know…but if the rain pours it these people won't be safe," then another horrifying thought came to mind, "You guys have dynamite for blasting right."

"Whoa, whoa," Gray held up his hands in shock, while Shep turned a shade or two lighter at those words. "Are you crazy, we could bring the whole mine down on us!"

Jake nodded, "I know the danger, Gray, but what other choices to we have, look," he stepped up to the entrance, pointing at three separate spots, "If we put dynamite in these three spots, it should be enough to collapse the entrance without causing a cave in."

Gray looked over at Shep, the man nodded, "He's right, it's all we got."

"Fine, I'll finish getting everyone in, Shep help him set up the explosives."

Jake held the walkie back to his mouth, "Eric?"

"Yeah?"

"Any sign of dad?"

"None, we've checked almost everywhere. We're going through town hall now. How are things at the mine?"

Jake sighed and took a calming breath, "Eric, I'm about to do something incredibly stupid, so please…please hear me out."

"Jake?"

"You're going to have to bring a crew over here, when this storm is over and dig us out."

"Whoa….wait why?"

Jake could hear his brother's fear and concern, "Because we have to shut off the cave. Listen, Eric if this doesn't work-"

"Stop it."

"Eric please, tell mom and dad-"

"Damn it Jake, it'll work fine, just…do it."

Jake nodded, feeling slightly reassured, "I have to go, they're ready, go find dad, okay?"

"I will," the unspoken love was clear in Eric's answer as Jake hurried back to the mouth of the cave, he began attaching the necessary wires to rig the dynamite in the far corner, he glanced over at Shep, his stomach churning, the man looked equally as terrified as him. "Shep, take some of that out, no more than two sticks, we're sealing the entrance, no cave ins today."

Shep glanced at him and nodded, the corner of his mouth going up in a reassuring smile. Jake nodded, and looked back over to see Heather coming down the stairs. "Where'd you learn how to do this?"

"Knew a guy once," Jake lied, his thoughts going to Afghanistan.

Her brows creased, "Did you blow him up?"

Jake chuckled as she headed down the stairs into the cave, "How's this look?" Shep asked Jake.

"Can anyone hear me?" a crackled voice came over the radio

"That's good," Jake replied not hearing it, "Gray?"

"Last few people coming in now."

"Can you hear me, is anyone there?" Again, Emily's voice crackled over the radio.

Jake's head shot up, "Everyone shut up!" He yelled, he grabbed the walkie talkie.

"This is Emily Sullivan, I'm at the Richmond ranch, there are men with guns here, I think they killed the sheriff! Please someone."

"Emily!?" he called into the radio, but received no response. "Damn it, Shep, gimme your keys."

"Are you crazy, it's about to storm any second!"

"I know! But I can make it, I can't let her die!" he shouted, his memory of seeing Chris dead would haunt him forever. He couldn't let the same thing happen to Emily.

Shaking his head, Shep tossed him the keys and headed down into the mine with everyone else. Gray however, reached out stopping the young man, "You're out of your mind, Jake."

"Gray, just get everyone down there!" He started to head back up towards the top.

"Jake!"

"What!?" Jake demanded, whirling around, for a minute as he watched Gray pull the gun he felt sick, then the gun was tossed to him.

"Thanks, when everyone's down, say all clear."

"Yeah, be careful," with that Gray headed back down into the mine as well.

Jake made his way out of the mine, towards the truck. He connected all the final wires to the fuse box and waited, each second ticking off another moment of Emily's life. "Jake, all clear!"

Without a second's hesitation he pushed down the trigger and watched the explosion, before he turned to the truck and drove off like crazy. He couldn't loose Emily, they weren't close anymore and she probably hated him, but Jonah would burn the town down if something happened to her.

o0o

Emily was growing frantic as she tried to remain hidden in the front of the police car, "Is anybody there, there are men here with guns. I think they might have killed the sheriff, please someone help us!" as she reached to change to the next channel she heard banging from the back of the car. She hurried to the back of the car and opened the trunk, to reveal both deputies. She gaped at them as they tried to wiggle free of their bonds.

Reaching out she pulled the duct tape from Jimmy's mouth, "Run Emily!"

Before she could however, shots rang out. She ducked down, as the two officer hurried to free themselves of their bonds. Holding the revolver she'd grabbed from the frame earlier she stepped out to see Roy coming forward, gripping Bonnie.

If anything happened to Bonnie, Stanley would kill her. She held her gun up, with every intention of killing him. "Stop!" she screamed, "Don't you dare hurt her!"

Roy looked at her, "I don't want to hurt no one, all we wanted was gas," he reasoned knowing his partner was sneaking around to the back of the car. "All we want is supplies, this is just about fuel."

"Please let her go!" Emily's hands shook with fear and anger. Bonnie looked terrified, only able to read half the conversation, Emily tried her best to show all her thoughts and feelings through her eyes. Her hands clinched tighter around the butt of the gun as Roy pulled out the sheriff's gun and put it against Bonnie's head slowly. Before he could do anything further another shot rang out, killing the other gunman, Roy looked over to his friend drop, releasing the girl he started shooting towards Jake, he noticed April looking over her shoulder her gun still poised at him, so he took his shot. Another shot rang out right as his did, hitting him square in the chest as he dropped to the ground.

Jake grabbed Bonnie who had run straight to him and the two deputies, "Bonnie," he said grabbing her attention by waving his hand, "Get them to the storm cellar, now!" he shouted. The wind was kicking up worse with each second.

She nodded and hurried away. Jake meanwhile moved over to April, but what he'd been expecting was not this, "NO!" he screamed as he dropped to his knees beside her, a bullet in her chest, just below her heart. He could hear the hissing as the air escaped her lungs. "No," he whispered. "I was…just trying to keep you safe," he sobbed, he couldn't think, couldn't move. An ache in his chest had developed and was getting worse and worse.

"No one's…ever safe around you," she sneered before her eyes dulled. He felt sick, completely sick. A pair of hands grabbed him just under his arms and he was hauled away from the dead body of his former fiancée, he couldn't think, he tried to struggle, screaming as he fought all the way as he was all but hauled into the storm cellar.

He was shoved down the stairs and into the cellar, the door shut harshly behind them. "Jake!" Stanley grabbed his best friend in his arms; Jake's legs gave out as he collapsed into his best friend's arms and chest and sobbed.

"She's dead," he cried.

Stanley looked from Jimmy and Bill who looked devastated, to Bonnie who had tears running down her eyes. He opened one of his arms out to her, and held her close as the two cried. He held his best friend, the boy he'd grown up with, the man he loved like a brother, just letting him cry it out.

It was silent except for his occasional cries, the two deputies looked at one another, Bonnie had pulled away from her brother and handed Stanley a blanket. Stanley wrapped it around Jake, who had grown quiet; he now just sat on the stairs, staring at the ground. "Can we try and get someone on the walkie-talkie?" Stanley asked.

Jimmy handed it to him, Stanley took it and pushed the button, "Anyone there?"

"This is Eric, Stanley?"

Stanley sighed, thankful to hear from a friend, "Yeah man, look we're all here under the Richmond farm, me, Bonnie, Jimmy, Bill and your brother."

"I thought Emily was supposed to be with you," Eric replied.

Stanley looked over at his best friend, who was still just sitting there, "Em's dead, Eric," he replied quietly. "She was shot by one of the fugitives."

"Jesus," Eric whispered, on his end he was watching April tend to his dad, whose flu was clearly not getting any better. "Is Jake okay?" He could remember how infatuated Jake and Emily had been.

Stanley paused and glanced back at his best friend, "I don't think so. Listen, I saw some tanks on my way back from getting the livestock put away, headed up towards Denver."

"How many?" Eric asked in response.

"Five maybe, they were over the ridge, I was on Fars Mill road near I-70."

To his surprise, Jake finally spoke up, "Where's dad?" his voice was just loud enough to hear over the pour rain that kept beating against the shelter door.

Stanley handed the radio to his best friend, "You want some water?" Stanley asked.

Jake just shook his head, he didn't look any less numb as he accepted the radio, "Where's dad?" He repeated his question from earlier.

"I'm here son," the deep reassuring voice sounded almost as tired as his. He sat there quietly for a moment, "You okay?"

"Ahh hell, probably not, I have the flu. And I've held Abigail twice, so now I'm worried I might have given it to yer little girl." Johnston sighed, but it sounded more like a struggling wheeze.

"I'm sure she'll be fine, so will you. Dad, Stanley saw a line of tanks near I-70," Jake compartmentalized the situation, his town, his people came first, but the ache of Emily was awful.

"Well, there's a national guard unit to the southwest there in Goodland, maybe it's a relief effort," reasoned Johnston, he was getting tired, his energy quickly being sapped from him.

"We need to get out there and see," Jake explained.

Johnston shook his head, "That could be dangerous, son," he looked over to see April cuddling the baby who was crying rather loudly now.

"Is that Abi?"

Johnston smiled, typical dad, "Yes, she's running a small fever, I'm sorry."

"It's okay dad," Jake replied, but his heart hammered in his chest about loosing that little girl. "I'll talk to you once the rain passes, but we can't sit around and wait to find out what's happening. See you soon," Jake muttered.

"Take care son."

o0o

When the rain finally stopped, the group looked up at the ceiling; Jake was the first one out of the door. He probably should've known better, but all reasoning left him as he dropped down beside her body. His hands shook as he reached out towards her body, wiping her hair away from her beautiful face. "No," he whimpered again.

"She could be radioactive," Bill mentioned.

Stanley looked over at Bill, he didn't know if he had the heart to pull his best friend away from her. Jake raised the radio back to his lips, "Eric, I'm sending Bill and Jimmy to the mine, meet them there to dig those people out."

"Okay, what about you?"

Stanley took the radio, "We're headed to the clinic Jake may have just made himself radioactive."

Jake had bent down, lifting the body into his arms, he hugged her close, pressing his cheek to her damp forehead. "Come on Jake, lets get her into the truck, we'll drive you both to the med clinic." He offered to help, but Jake jerked away from Stanley as he limped to the truck and put her body into the truck, he pulled himself into the back of the truck next to her and just lay down beside her.

Stanley looked over at his sister, who looked terrified and concerned; she stared at her brother as they got into the truck and headed off towards town. Stanley considered his best friend, yes he was worried for the man, but more than anything he felt heartache for the friend they'd both lost today. Emily had always been the third part of the three musketeers. He hadn't loved her like Jake, but he'd certainly loved her like a sister and it broke his heart to think she was gone now. He hadn't even realized he was crying, until he felt his sister's smaller hand on his. Glancing over at her, to see tears falling down her cheeks as well, he turned his hand so he could grip her hand tight.

April sighed as she looked down at the tiny wiggling baby, her little body flushed, and her cheeks red with a fever as she kept wailing. She sighed heavily as she continued to try and cool the baby's body down. "She's got the flu too, doesn't she?" Johnston asked from where he sat in one of the chairs. He too was pale, sweat on his brow from his own fever. "I got her ill by holding her."

"Sweetheart, these things happen," Gail reasoned, but she was equally as nervous as Johnston was. Their first granddaughter was already sicker than Johnston it seemed, and it had happened in a matter of hours.

"She's sick, I'm not entirely sure it's the flu, but, unfortunately it may be. Johnston, she's a baby she has a low immune system anyway because she hasn't been able to drink her mother's breast milk to build up the antibodies. This isn't your fault; she could've gotten it from anyone."

"I need help please!" Stanley's voice broke their attention away from everyone.

"Stanley, what's going on?" Johnston asked, as he stood, he was exhausted, he was scared he'd just sentenced his only granddaughter to death and now the individual who should've been with his son was nowhere near his son.

"I…I can't get him to let her go," he offered.

Gail's eyes widened and she rushed out the door, followed by Johnston, April looked at Stanley, then back down at the baby in the small bassinette, "Stanley, get Bonnie to stay with Abi."

Stanley looked confused, "Uh, who is she?"

"She's your niece, Jake's daughter, please just do it, I need to be out there."

Stanley just nodded and followed her out to get Bonnie, Bonnie caught sight of him around the hallway and saw him sign come please. She hurried around the corner towards the hospital room with the baby, "This is Abi, she's running a fever, can you stay with her while we take care of Jake?"

Bonnie nodded, signing back the question of who she belonged to, her eyes widened when she saw him sign Jake's ASL sign. Before she could ask further question Stanley hurried out to the back of the hospital where Jake and Emily lay in the truck bed.

"Son," Gail called, she was stroking her son's dark hair, and her heart broke at the sight of him just rocking back and forth as he held his ex-finance. "Sweetheart, we need you to let her go, we need to take care of her."

"Does he have radiation poisoning?" Johnston asked, watching his wife continue to pet their son's hair.

April used the old Geiger counter and shook her head, "I think we got lucky on this. I'm not getting any indication of radiation; he still needs to take a shower, and we'll keep an eye on him over the next few hours." She reached out and pulled her brother-in-law's chin up to look at him, she'd always liked her older brother-in-law she had a bit of a soft spot for him. "Hey, Jake, I know you're upset, and you have every right to be, but your little girl needs you now. Let us take care of Emily, okay."

She saw the chocolate eyes meet her own, and a flicker of recognition and understanding, he was lost, but reachable. His fingers uncurled from around her and he let her go, she was already wrapped in his blanket and gently carried off the truck. "Come on honey," Gail grabbed her son's upper arms and helped maneuver off the back of the truck; he was clearly struggling to walk on his injured leg. "Lets get you into the shower, and then you can go see your daughter."

Johnston studied his daughter-in-law over his son's head; she looked devastated as well, but was keeping her cool. Gail helped Jake into the building, towards the showers. "Is he safe?"

"The probability of him getting severe radiation poisoning from her is slim, while I do believe in being safe, I think there's probably little chance in this case. I hate to say this we probably should burn the…body," she whispered.

Johnston sighed, "I don't know if I remember how to deal with a broken hearted kid," Johnston muttered as they carried her body to an empty room. April quickly gave instructions to an orderly to put a do not enter on the door.

Gail helped Jake into the locker room, Jake stopped, "Mom, I can undress myself," he corrected.

"Right, except you're barely walking on your own, I'm your mother it's nothing I haven't seen before."

"I'm fine," he replied.

"Jake—"

"I said I'm fine!" he shouted, causing Gail to jump and back off slightly. Jake backed up against a wall, his legs giving out as he slid down the wall and buried his face in his hands. "Sorry," he moaned.

Gail felt the lump in her throat as she moved over to her son, and knelt down before him, her hands on his jeans, "I'm sorry, I've been a bit overbearing lately haven't I," Gail whispered as she rubbed his legs.

"She hated me, her last words to me was no one was ever safe around her," he murmured, his voice vacant and filled with sorrow. "I've ruined that entire family's life," he buried his face in his hands and sobbed.

She pulled his head to her shoulder and neck and held him, fingers through his hair, just holding him as he cried for the lost love of his life. She felt his shaking body, as sob after sob wracked his body, as let go of the past hurts he'd gone through. "Shh, I know baby, I'm here," she hummed as she continued to kissing his temple and rocking him.

After a few minutes she felt his breathing even back out, "I'm sorry," he murmured. She smiled and simply shook her head.

"You have got nothing to be sorry for, it's been a rough few days on us all, come on lets get you up and washed."

"I…I think my leg went numb, I can't get up," he grimaced as he tried to stand, to get it working. He sighed and looked at his mother, "Guess you will have to help me undress."

She chuckled softly, "Tell you what you do what you can, and I'll turn my back, tell me if and when you get to a point you need me, otherwise just put a towel on and I'll help you into the shower."

"Thanks," he replied. As promised she turned away, while he started to strip, sitting on the bench for support and balance.

"Abi is running a small fever, April's going to try a few different things she said, but sounds like we're limited in what we can give her."

"What about Rogue River?" Jake questioned as he removed his final layer and stood, he groaned, but held out his hand, "I'm fine."

"As long as you're sure."

"I am, I can run to the next town over to be safe, probably can get something for dad too."

She sighed, "We'll discuss it with April. You know when you were a little boy, five or six you got it into your head that you could shower on your own like daddy."

Jake peaked out of the shower, "I don't remember that."

She chuckled, "You wouldn't you cracked your head on the shower stall because you slipped. About scared the hell out of your father and I, we thought you'd died."

Jake snickered from in the shower, a moment later his hand reached out and grabbed a clean fresh towel, and he stepped out of the shower, looking a bit better. "Guess I'm tough to kill."

"Thank god," Gail whispered her voice thick from emotion.

Jake leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'll be in to see Abi in a minute mom, you can go."

"I'm being dismissed am I," she smiled, despite clearly feeling closer to crying, "Do you need something for your leg?"

"Nah, water made it a bit better," Jake lied, he'd be damned if he was going to take an ounce of medication away from people who needed it. He waited until she left and he sat down heavily, massaging his leg, it looked red and angry, he hoped he wasn't getting infected. He pulled on a pair of scrubs from a nearby clean pile and hurried got dressed.

He jumped as he ran headlong into Heather, grabbing her by her waist as he nearly knocked her over. "Jake!" she gasped, realizing who it was she threw her arms around his arms. "I was so scared when you weren't helping us out of the cave!"

He smiled and wrapped his arms tighter around her waist, "I'm so glad you're okay," he whispered.

"I'm fine, what about you; you look a bit stiff, are you all right?"

Jake paused and realized he needed to tell her the truth, he dropped his hand down to her hand and pulled her back into the locker room, he sat them both down on the benches, "I found Emily."

Heather smiled, but then the smile fell to sadness, "I get the sense that since she's not here, she didn't make it?"

"No," he replied quietly, "She was…shot. I'm so sorry, Heather."

Tears welled up in her beautiful blue eyes as she nodded, taking the information in, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, drawing her close. The two sat there quietly for several minutes. Jake's mind went to Emily's father; she'd have to tell Jonah, that was a conversation he very well may not come out alive from. Jonah already blamed him for Chris' death five years ago. "She was right," Jake whispered.

"What?"

"She said no one is safe around me, and she was right," he mumbled. He was going to get people killed here; all because he thought he was some hero now. He'd never been a hero, just a screw up.

"Jake," Heather began.

He shook his head, standing he moved towards the doors, his head bowed, "Tell…tell my mom I'm sorry," he whispered, with that he hurried out of the room, limping the entire way.

"Jake!" she cried, but he was gone. Heather hurried out of the room and down the hallway in the other direction, fearing the absolute worst, "Mr. Green!" she shouted as she spotted him in a room, "Mr. Green!" tears ran down her pale cheeks. "I…I think Jake is going to do something stupid."

"What?" Gail and Johnston both said as they stood, Stanley and Bonnie were both still in the room with the baby, they'd been discussing what had happened to bring the baby to Jake.

"He…he was explaining about Emily…and he seemed to suddenly get really upset, then…then he said she was right he wasn't safe and he ran off…well limped off is actually more accurate and he said to tell his mother he was sorry."

"Jesus Christ," growled Johnston as he ran past the girl, Stanley and Gail hot on his heels. April looked over at Bonnie and signed for her to stay if she didn't mind, once she'd confirmed she didn't she followed the family, "Come on Heather," they both left as quickly as they could.

Despite his lungs being on fire, and feeling hot all over, Johnston was certain he'd never run so fast in all his life, he knew his boy was hurting, and maybe it was time to clear some of that air. But he couldn't let his son walk out into a world like this. Reaching his house, he burst into the house, "Jake!" He cried, "Jake!" his lungs finally gave out and he bent over coughing, just in time for Gail to arrive.

"You're going to kill yourself running around like that," she huffed.

"Jake!" Stanley cried as he hurried up the stairs past his surrogate family. The Greens had always been good to him when his parents had died. He couldn't watch their eldest son self destruct like this.

"He's not here," wheezed Johnston, one single face popped into his mind, his son was going to make amends…and it would probably cost him his damn life. "He's going to see Jonah."

Gail and April both paled at the thought of that, as Stanley came back down the stairs, he confirmed what they all knew already. "Who's Jonah?" Heather asked from where she stood in the doorway.

"Emily's father," Stanley replied quietly as he sat down on the steps. "I'm sorry, I should've done more, I should've stayed with him."

"This isn't your fault, Stanley," Johnston waved the boy off, "You're not his keeper, damn it. We have to go get him back."

"So that you can get killed too!" Gail snapped, her eyes were red, and her heart broken at the idea that her son had felt it was necessary to apologize for this.

Johnston shook his head, "Gail, he walked out that door five years ago and about damn near broke your heart and this whole family. So yes, if that's what it takes, I'm going to get our boy back!" He looked at Stanley, "Get your gun, we're leaving now, find Eric, we'll need him too."

o0o

Jake arrived on the outskirts of the town, where Jonah had kept his little clan of wayward idiots for the last ten years. Jonah was leaning over a car, fixing something. Jake took a step closer to the front gates, before two thugs stepped in front of him. "I'm here to see Jonah, I…it's about Emily," he whispered.

"Let him in," Jonah barked from under the car, he stood up straight, glaring at the man, "Well, well, look what the cat dragged in. You come to put another one of my boys in jail or in the ground?"

Jake felt his stomach roll at the words, knowing what he had to tell the man wasn't going to go over well. "Emily's dead…Jonah." His voice was rough as he whispered the words. He watched the eyes go from interested to deadly cold in seconds. Jonah grew close to Jake, who just stood there, much like he had in military school years earlier.

As a boy, this close a proximity to the former ex-con would've had him shaking in his boots, now all he wanted to be pounded into the ground. He wanted to be punished for what had happened. He had ruined this man's entire family, he deserved no less. Jonah was mere inches away from his face, "How?" his deep gravelly voice unsettling.

"She…she was killed by an escaped prisoner in a shoot out, I'm sorry, I wasn't…I wasn't quick enough," he answered.

He nodded, his face perfectly blank, and that's what Jake knew would be the end of him, "So not only did you get my son killed, but you killed my little girl too," he sneered at Jake.

Jake eyes slid closed in defeat, a tear slipping down his cheek, "I'm so sorry," he whispered.

Jonah nodded, Jake didn't even have time to react as Jonah drove a fist right into his stomach, dropping Jake to the ground like a ton of bricks, all the air having left his lungs. Then a fist full of his hair was grabbed and a knee slammed into his face, he tasted rather than saw the woosh of blood from his nose and mouth. Stars were beginning to dance in his vision, two more fists to the side of the face, and then several hits to his ribs. Jake was seconds away from glorious darkness when he heard another familiar bark out, followed by the crack of a gun, then his eyes slid shut.

Johnston was just in time to see his son get pounded twice into the ground and three more times into the left side, where he already had three cracked ribs. "Jonah!" he shouted, before he held up his shotgun and shot it into the air. Stanley kept his own shotgun trained on Jonah and his men, while Johnston walked over to his son, the boy was a bloody mess, literally, unconscious. "It was an accident, Jonah," he offered quietly, "You know that."

"Get him out of my sight, Green, and I promise if I ever see him near me again, you'll be mourning a son."

Johnston sighed, but nodded, Eric, who had been following behind his father, grabbed his brother's jacket and drug him backwards, until both he and Stanley could lift him into the truck together. "Thank you, and I am really sorry, Jonah," Johnston said, lowering the barrel of his gun slightly.

Jonah's face gave way to pain as he looked down and nodded, "Can…can I come get her?"

Johnston nodded, Just you, but I can arrange it, as long as you promise not to cause any trouble."

"You have my word," Jonah whispered.

Johnston backed away slowly and then eventually turned his back on the man to climb into his truck, he heaved a painful sigh through his congested lungs, his own eyes welling with tears over what he'd just seen. "Dad?" Eric asked. "You okay?"

Johnston nodded, before turning the truck around and heading back home, "I didn't think I'd ever see the day when your brother gave up."

Gail was horrified when Eric and Stanley came into the house, carrying her unconscious son. They'd brought Abigail home in the meanwhile got her settled upstairs, Bonnie was upstairs caring for her, trying to keep her cool along with April. "April!" Gail cried as they carried him upstairs to his old bedroom. "What happened?"

"He went to Jonah, and told him about Emily," Johnston answered his voice dismal and miserable. "We got lucky, Jonah even let us leave with him alive." He wasn't sure if he fully understood why Jonah had let him leave, perhaps because the man wanted to mourn his child in peace. Johnston couldn't imagine losing both his children. He glanced at Eric in the corner of the room as April started assessing Jake's condition, then back to Jake. He would never forget that horrible night when he'd gotten the phone call, he was sure it'd be the sheriff telling him his eldest was dead.

He was startled to feel Gail's arms wrap around his middle, he looked down in her tearful eyes, and realized his likely reflected the same. He hugged her close, pressing a kiss to her head. "Why don't you lie down for a bit, you've run yourself ragged today," she suggested.

For once he couldn't disagree, he was too exhausted, so he nodded and together the husband and wife headed into their bedroom. Stanley looked over at his sister, signing it was time to go. She nodded, giving the baby a final snuggle before heading off with her brother. Eric just sat down heavily in a nearby chair. "Where'd Heather go?" he questioned.

"She went to tell Emily's aunt, she said she'd come by tomorrow," April shook her head, her own eyes were burning with tears, though she was fairly certain the rush of emotions she was currently feeling were more due to the baby she was expecting and little Abi, but still. She took a slow calming breath and looked at her husband, "I'd really like to stay here for the next few nights to keep an eye on everyone, is that okay?"

"Of course, I'll go get some stuff for you, I'll probably stay too, I'll be back in an hour or two," he dropped a kiss to the top of his wife's head, before leaving the room.

April turned back to her patient, to see two chocolate, anguish filled eyes staring back at her. She tried to offer him a smile, but it ended up closer to a grimace, "I really want to hate you," she whimpered.

"Shouldn't be a problem, everyone should," he muttered.

"You're an idiot if you think that's true," she hissed back at him, before standing and looking away from him. She squeezed her eyes closed in effort to stave off more tears. "I've watched your mother and father struggle without you for nearly five years! Do you know what you did to them!" She snapped, god she knew it was the pregnancy but she couldn't stop herself. "Do you know how much it hurt to get phone call after phone call, only to realize it wasn't you on the phone!" Shaking her head she whirled around at him again. "And now, you're finally back, and to top it off you've got this beautiful little girl, you do realize that right now you're her entire world, don't you!"

He didn't say anything, he just let her unleash, he deserved it. He looked at her, waiting for her to continue, "You're her everything and you're going to be her everything as she grows up, and yet one person dies, and I'm sorry for that, I really am! But damn it Jacob, your daughter comes first you stupid selfish sonofabitch! And what about your mother! That woman looks at you like you hung the damn stars! Don't you understand that you're always going to be her baby boy!?"

"She isn't safe around me, no one is," he warned her, finally speaking.

"News flash Jake! None of us are safe, don't you get that. The whole world has changed, people are going to die," suddenly all the fight left her and she sat down at the end of his bed and shook her head. "Your dad was the worst though, because he wanted to believe you were about being stupid, or getting into trouble. He had to reassure your mother every call, but all the while he looked so defeated, so exhausted, because he missed you too." She reached out, caressing his undamaged cheek, "We all missed you. So don't you dare give up and run away again, not after getting all our hopes up."

Grimacing as he tried to sit up, Jake pulled her into his arms as she cried in his arms. He rocked her back and forth slightly, before pulling away again, "I'm sorry, I had to tell him and I had to be prepared for him to…"

"I know, but you're back, and your baby needs you, we all need you Jake, please."

He nodded, "You're right, I've been selfish, is she still running a fever?"

April stood and moved over to the crib, pulling the cranky baby out of the bed, she sat down next to Jake on the bed, handing her over. Jake smiled as he took her into his arms with more ease than he had before. He could feel her fever, "It's improving some, but still a bit high for her, it's about 99," April offered as she tickled one of the little feet.

Abi scrunched up her face, and tried pulled her feet away from the touch, she reached out to her daddy, gripping his shirt in her tiny fist. "Hey, you're all right, daddy's here now," he offered, "I'm sorry for running off," he spoke, as if he was talking to the baby, but April knew she was talking to her so he didn't have to look at April.

"I panicked…I think…I think I like Heather," he finally admitted.

April smiled, "She's certainly interested in you," she replied giggling. "Look, Emily meant a lot to you, and I understand, I really do. But truthfully the two of you moved on romantically years ago. Mourn your best friend, but don't guard your heart from love again." Deciding Jake had probably had enough of her for the time being, she went back to fixing up his cuts and bruises.

Meanwhile, Jake just sat there and stared into the big eyes that were rapidly getting darker, her once wrinkled face was smoother now, she was more aware of her surroundings as her eyes grew wider when images came in or out of her viewpoint. He chuckled she met his eyes, he held her up to his face and pressed a gentle kiss to her little nose. April decided to leave him with his daughter for now.

When Gail and April returned they both had to giggle over the adorable picture of father fast asleep on the couch, with the baby on her belly, tucked right up again to his lips, one hand was resting carefully on her back to ensure she was still breathing and didn't shift too far. It appeared as Jake was already well on his way to sleep. "You did good today," Gail whispered as she pulled April closer.

"Someone had to tell him," she replied.

TBC


	3. Safety In Numbers

**Chapter Three - Safety in Numbers**

It had been four days since the bombs had fallen, and one since the fall out had officially cleared. Of those days, Jake couldn't remember sleeping a single one of them. Sure, he was exhausted, and his body yearned for sleep, but every time he closed his eyes he saw the face of Emily, dead and gone. Earlier that night they'd found a man suffering radiation sickness. Now he had that stuck in his mind too.

At the moment he was sitting downstairs in the rocking recliner, reclined back just enough with Abi lying on his chest, as she slept soundly, her breaths coming in tiny puffs against his chest. If he sat there long enough, closing his eyes and letting the warmth of the house bathe him, he'd think life was normal. That he was married to someone and living a perfectly normal life. He could imagine that he was loved by both of his parents, rather than adored by his mother and tolerated by his father and brother. He could pretend that he hadn't just watched a childhood friend die.

He looked down at the infant in his arms, brushing his fingers over her dark hair and sighed, "I'm sorry, Abi. You deserved better than this," he murmured as he pressed his lips to her hair. "Course if Anna had sent you to her families, you'd be gone," that thought made his heart ache in a way he wasn't sure he understood. A tight feeling restricting his lungs as he tried to breathe through the idea that she'd be gone before she'd even had a chance to truly live.

Closing his eyes, he took a few minutes to enjoy the feeling over her little body against his, heart beating, breathing deeply in sleep. "I love you," he whispered before he slowly drifted off into the first peaceful sleep he'd had in ages.

That's how Johnston and Gail found their son the next morning, Gail grinned at the sight of the newborn snuggled up close to her daddy, tiny fists clinched in his shirt. Johnston had to admit, while he might had thought his son was a bit of a screw up. He was certainly trying to be a decent father to Abigail.

A knock at the door startled Johnston's from his thoughts, and jolted Jake from his sleep, while he was glancing around, trying to gather himself, Johnston moved to the front door. "Good morning, Mr. Green," Heather greeted.

"Heather, to what do we owe the pleasure?" He asked stepping back and allowing the young woman to hobble in.

"I was actually looking for Jake," her faced spotted the man who was presently standing now, holding an infant in his arms. She lit up like a Christmas tree, and Johnston had to bite his lip at the sight, the woman was clearly quite taken by his son.

"Hey, everything all right?" Jake questioned as he came over.

"Kinda, there's a situation at the medical center, they're generators are running out of gas," she explained, she looked at the baby, studying the infant's features. "Anyway, I was hoping you might have some ideas on how we could suction the gas from the gas station."

Jake nodded, "I'm sure I can come up with something, my mom's making breakfast…did you want to stay?"

"Oh…Uh…" she started to stammer, but Johnston stopped her short with a hand on her shoulder.

"We insist, come on," Johnston reassured, before he smirked and headed into the kitchen.

Jake blushed slightly before he looked down at his daughter then back to Heather, "You two never really got properly introduced, did you," he smiled. Heather followed him over to the couch where he took a seat, and she followed suit. He held Abi up, she opened her dark brown eyes and looked blearily at her daddy. "Abi, this is Ms. Heather, Heather, meet my daughter Abi," he passed her over to Heather, who was all too happy to hold the infant.

"She's beautiful, Jake," Heather cooed.

Jake nodded, "So was her mother."

Heather looked up, and saw the remorse in his eyes, "Did she…I'm sorry Jake."

"It's all right, Anna wasn't my girlfriend or wife. She was actually the wife of a close friend of mine. I…I promised when he died I'd take care of them. Turns out you can't protect someone from giving birth," he whispered. He looked down, and smiled as Heather gripped his hand.

"I think caring for the baby is a wonderful way to keep your promise to your friends," she assured him.

"Thanks, anyway she's a great baby, barely ever cries, and she seems to get along better with my parents than I do," he chuckled. "So what did you have in mind for the gas?"

"Well if we have a funnel and something to hold the gas in we could siphon it."

"How about a water pump, we've got an old hand water pump somewhere."

"That would be perfect, actually."

Jake nodded, "I'll go get Stanley, we can use his truck to find something to carry it in," Jake stood, "Mom!" he called.

"I'm old, Jacob, not deaf. What?"

He took the baby from Heather and handed the baby to his mother, "We're going to go take care of the gas for the generators, I promise we'll do dinner tonight," he swore, pressing a kiss to her cheek, before he too started limping out after the beautiful woman.

Gail turned and found Johnston grinning like the cat that ate the canary, "What are you staring at?"

Stepping forward, he pulled his wife close and kissed her lips, before kissing the baby's forehead, "I think our boy might be smitten."

"Well, if he's anything like his daddy, it'll take him ages to figure it out," Gail chuckled, before gazing at her granddaughter, "Are you hungry pumpkin?"

o0o

As Jake drove out towards the farms, he looked over at Heather, "Emily used to talk to you, ya know," Heather offered.

"God that couldn't have been anything good," Jake chuckled.

"Can I ask if it's weird coming back?"

Jake nodded, "Very, truthfully, I hadn't intended on staying, my dad and I…we don't exactly see eye to eye, I guess." Jake's mind went to those horrible days before he'd left. "I'm kind of just a giant disappointment to him, really."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Heather replied, she smiled sadly, "My parents and I didn't exactly see eye to eye either. They wanted me to grow up to marry a farmer. Here I am, thirty-two and haven't married anyone yet, then when I left the city…I haven't been back for awhile, I miss them but they always preferred my older sister."

"Sometimes it almost makes me hate Eric, how much dad likes him," Jake replied.

Heather nodded, "Yeah, exactly. I want to love my sibling, I do…but," she sighed.

"Yeah," he muttered.

He arrived at Stanley's, thankfully his blonde friend was already outside, "Hey, what brings you out here?" Stanley greeted, when Jake had rolled down the window.

"We need your help," Jake explained, "Heather had an idea to use the a hand crank water pump to siphon the gas out at the gas station. But we need something to store it in, we were hoping you could find something while we try and convince them to let us take it."

Stanley nodded, "I'll see what I can do, and meet you out there with my truck. Need anything else?"

"Power," Heather joked with a smile.

The two men chuckled and nodded, "All right, I'll be happy to help, but then you two and me are spending the evening at Bailey's," he grinned.

"Deal," they both chuckled. "We'll see you at the gas station."

It was twenty minutes later when Jake and Heather stood at the gas station, talking to Murthy, who was repeatedly declining the answer. "It's no use to anyone Mr. Murthy, without the electricity, the pumps don't even work. It's just sitting there going to waste," Jake explained.

"And we'll leave you an IOU for the 500 gallons," Heather offered.

Murthy shook his head, "I could be fire," he reasoned.

Jake sighed, hand over his face, "With all due respect, who's gonna fire you, come on Mr. Murthy. We're trying to save people."

The man sighed as he knelt down to open the holes for the gas, "They're never coming back, no one are they?"

Reaching out, Jake squeezed the man's shoulder, "I'm sorry."

The man stood and nodded, "Take whatever you need, you're right, church needs it more than me," he stated. He disappeared, Stanley pulled up with an old steel water tank.

"I couldn't find an empty pesticide container, I figured this water tank might do," he explained as he hopped out of his truck to open the cap.

"No, no we can't use steel, there's too much risk of static. One spark and the whole place could blow sky high!" Heather was shaking her head, looking panicked.

"We don't have time to look for something else," Jake replied as he climbed on top of the truck beside his best friend.

"Well…uh who's going to fill it then?" Heather questioned.

Stanley and Jake looked at one another, "Do you wanna draw straws or something?"

Jake shook his head vehemently, "You've got Bonnie to take care of, I'll do it."

"What about Abigail, don't be a martyr!"

"I'm not, Bonnie's all you have! Besides I was already out in the rain-"

"I thought you said we were going to live to 100," disputed Stanley.

Jake shook his head, "Our pacts never work out!"

"Okay boys, let's just do this before we think it too much!" Heather snapped, shaking her head.

"Get off the truck, Stanley," Jake gently pushed him off the truck, "all right lets go," he put the hose inside and started the pump. Once they'd taken everything they could, they headed towards the medical center.

Stanley pulled up and parked the truck while Jake and Heather jumped out of the truck. Heather climbed to the top to unseal the tank, only to find it stuck, "Guys, we've got a problem, I can't get the lid off," she climbed down, with Jake's help.

Stanley climbed up, but Heather held up her hands in warning, "Wait!"

"Don't feel bad, I'm just gonna loosen it," he offered.

"No, I mean the gas has been sloshing around in there, the fumes have build up, if you force the cap and it sparks it could blow us all!"

"Then what do you suggest?" Jake questioned.

Before they could both answer Stanley took a crowbar and smashed it directly into the cap, popping it right off. He paused in horror, staring at it, "Wow…that was dumb," They all stared in shock for a long moment, before Jake handed Heather the hose, "put that in there, tell me when to start!"

Heather handed it up, Stanley stuck the end of the hose into the container, "Go!"

o0o

They got the lights back on in the medical center, unfortunately the man had died of radiation sickness, right after referring everyone to the lake side where they found twenty people, families. Jake felt sick at the sight of several children lying dead. As he staggered near one of the bodies, he couldn't help it when dropped to his knees near them. He'd seen death millions of times in Iraq, but seeing little children, little boys and girls, it made him sick.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, as he threw up into a nearby bush, it was Stanley, "Come on, man, let's go…check on Abi and Bonnie," Stanley gripped his best friend's upper arm and together the two headed back into town.

That evening they had a small funeral for the twenty people who'd passed away, "You coming back to the house?" Gail questioned that evening.

"A few of us are headed to Bailey's for a bit, I'll be home later," he encouraged, before giving her a kiss on the cheek, and a peck on his daughter's head.

"Have fun," she wished as she watched her son catch Heather by the hand as he walked off and followed behind Stanley.

The three of them gathered around one of the tables with the booths, "Uncle Sam! Come join us!" called Stanley a few beers in.

"Why do you call her Uncle Sam?" Heather questioned from her spot near Jake.

"She's from the IRS," Stanley explained.

"Like…the audit IRS?" Jake questioned. When Stanley nodded, Jake grimaced, "Didn't go well, huh?"

"No."

Mimi took a seat next to Stanley, "The US government now owns his farm," She grinned before producing two sets of cards, "Want to play a game of war? I've been playing solitaire for a while now."

o0o

The moon had come and gone, and the four, now down one when Heather had disappeared to get ready for school, remained at the bar playing with their cards, "I'm tired of war," Jake mumbled, putting his cards down, "No one ever wins."

"We can play something else," Mimi suggested, not able to go back to the hotel because it had closed.

"Nah', I'm calling it a night," Jake reasoned, before he noticed sun streaming through the windows.

"It stopped behind night hours ago, ya'll want some coffee?" Mary questioned with a soft smile.

"Make mine an Irish," Mimi replied while Stanley and Jake simply nodded in response.

Jake smirked, as he sipped the black coffee Mary had just places in front of him, "So Mimi, what would you be doing if you were back in DC right now?"

She sighed heavily, clearly bothered by the question, "Sleeping. You know the hardest thing about this stupid redneck town?"

Stanley glanced at Jake, who in turn was like thinking the fact that you're still here, but they both remained quiet for a moment, before Jake finally bit, "what?"

"The quiet, How do you stand it? It's like my brain's a damn echo chamber," Mary handed her the Irish coffee and Mimi sipped it, enjoying the warmth as the first taste slid down the back of her throat and burned.

Jake chuckled, "Why do you think I left," he muttered.

"I could tell her," Jimmy grinned in response as he walked through the door of the pub.

Mimi glanced up at him as the three men all looked down, she was missing something clearly, "What?"

"Why Jake left town, I could tell her," Jimmy offered again coming up behind the slightly younger man.

"Watch it Jimmy," Jake mumbled, his cheeks slightly red from being the center of the conversations.

Mimi grinned, "Let me guess, pressure got to be too much," it sounded more like a theme to a movie.

So Jake allowed her to bait him, "Wow," he replied, but truth was it had. It wasn't the pressure of his father being the Mayor, or even the pressure of the town expecting him to be a better man. No, it was that his father was a great man and a good judge of character, which everyone respected, and said father thought his own son's character was crap. Even as he considered it now he felt his heart constrict at the constant look of disappointment on his father's face, before he left and now that he was back.

"I'm a people reader," Mimi replied while Jake was lost in his thoughts. "I'm betting you were Captain of the football team, Prom King and voted most likely to succeed. Am I right?"

Jake even had to chuckle at the idea of that, he'd played about two seasons of football with Stanley before declaring he hated it, and turned to baseball. And from what he could recall he was voted most likely to go to prison.

The others who had known him all his life chuckled at her ideas, "What? What am I missing?" She questioned.

Stanley glanced over at his closest friend, "Didn't you beat up the Prom King?"

Jake grinned as he nodded, "Yeah, yeah I did," he'd caught the asshole trying to strong arm a girl in the hotel into sleeping with him. The girl had been trying to say no she wasn't ready, so Jake as usual hurled himself into a situation he wasn't welcome in.

Eric, who had come in with Jimmy was looking at his brother with a look of disapproval, the same one his father normally held. Jimmy looked over at Eric with a grin, "You must have a million stories about your brother screwing up,"

Jake saw the shame in his brother's face as he replied, "At least that many," He replied before he moved around the bar to the other side near Mary.

Jake watched his little brother interact with Mary and he realized he was watching his brother interact with his mistress. Grinning into his coffee, he couldn't but think for once his little brother wouldn't be the greatest thing since sliced bread in the Green house hold when the truth came out.

Suddenly there was an odd shudder of all the lights struggling to come, before they came on and the Jukebox began to blare "Taking Care of Business" Jake covered his ears as he moved over towards the damn thing to unplug it, everyone in the same state of shock. The shock only grew as once he unplugged the phone, they all heard the phone over in the corner ringing. Jake reached over to it and picked the phone up, "Hello?"

"Hello, this is assistant secretary Walsh from the Department of Homeland Security. Do not be alarmed. If you are safe, stay where you are. Do not attempt to leave." it was a recording, Jake's brows furrowed. Turning around he relayed the message to everyone.

"Jimmy and I should get to town hall," Eric offered before he took the two coffees to go and headed out the door.

"Homeland security?" Mimi questioned as Jake came back over to his coffee.

"That's what they said," he reasoned.

"So they're in charge now?" Stanley asked.

"They're supposed to be in charge in case of a disaster, so I assume so," Mimi explained.

Mary looked at her, "What happens next?"

Stanley was confused, "Why are you asking her, she's with the IRS?"

"She's from DC," Mary replied.

Mimi held up her hands as she tried to recall what she'd been told, "Here's what they told us. First, they restore the power, then communication, then transportation. Oh god I'm this close to non-lattes at Shiatsu," she stated looking forward to leaving podonkville.

Jake smiled, giving his friend a pat on the back, "I'm going to go see if they need anything at Town Hall," with that he bid them a goodbye and headed out into the sunlight, well aware that it made his head ache.

As he entered Town hall and moved towards his father's office he stepped inside to see Jimmy messing with the TV in the corner, noticing the Safety Alert signal on the TV he glanced up at his father. "Hey dad, is it the same thing on every channel?" He questioned.

He took stock of his father, the man looked better than he had in days, the coughing had subsided, it looked like whatever medications April had been giving him were finally starting to work. His mother was no doubt pleased by that.

"So far," Eric replied.

"What about the radio?" Jake questioned.

Johnston shook his head, "Same message. You look like crap," the older man stated, a tone of disapproval in his voice.

Jake looked at his father, trying not to be a jerk about his response, "I didn't sleep," he replied. Truthfully sleep would've been impossible anyway, after seeing the dead kids at the camp yesterday it had brought some of his bad memories back.

"Next time put the cards down and go home," his father's response reminded him of before he'd left, he looked over and glared at his brother for giving the man information. His brother just tilted his slightly as if to say he agreed with his father's disapproval. Jake couldn't help that he stood ram rod straight at the tone, clenching and unclenching his jaw ever so slightly. "Sooner or later the phones are going to free up. Let's keep calling out until we reach somebody."

"But who do we call?" Jimmy questioned.

"Well that homeland security message came out of Topeka, let's start there."

Eric shook his head, "Everyone's thinking that. I say we start with the national guard base in Great Ben."

Jake nodded, "We should get to the gas station too, get some gas while we can."

Eric smirked, "I already sent Bill, he's running the pumps there now."

Jake looked at his brother, feeling his anger level rising. "We need to charge our batteries too."

He saw his father point over his shoulder and saw them all doing exactly that. "All right looks like you've got it covered," he stated as he turned and started walking out.

"Where ya going?" His father called, again a slight hint of disapproval in his tone.

"Home, you clearly don't need me," he replied, before walking away.

o0o

He arrived home to the sound of his mother vacuuming upstairs, from the sounds of it she was in his father and her bedroom. So he made quick work of heading into his personal bedroom and closing the door. He moved over to the small crib and smiled at the sight of big brown eyes looking back at him. "Well hello there Miss Abigail," he greeted as he grinned and picked her up out of the crib, he pressed a kiss to her cheek which she gladly gurgled at. "Do you want to join daddy in a quick bath?" He questioned as he set her down in the center of his bed and made quick work of stripping down to his briefs. He had to admit over the last few days he'd warmed up to the idea of being a daddy.

Grabbing a towel so he could dry her off, he headed back out of his room, with baby in tow and into the bathroom. He knelt down by the tub and filled it with only about an inch or two of water. He then put his daughter on the rug in front of the tub and went to work of removing her clothes. "You stink, yes you do," he grinned as he bent over and blew a raspberry on her belly, making her squeal in delight. "And so do I," he chuckled as he picked her up and sat himself and her in the tub. He felt the water soaking through his briefs, but he wasn't really sure how else to keep her sitting upright and use his hands to grab things. Sitting in with her he could easily lean her against his chest and grab stuff as he needed it, then just get her dried and dressed and back in her crib and take a shower on his own.

"All right ma'am, I've warmed up the water," using both heads he quickly laid her back in the water, getting her wet, without getting her face wet. Despite his efforts to not shock her, she instantly started crying when the water came up around her head to dampen her hair.

He heard the vacuum shut off, "It's okay mom!" he called out, so she wouldn't panic when she didn't find the baby in her crib. "Shhh, you're all right," once he'd gotten her hair wet enough he sat her back in his lap and grabbed a little of the Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo. He was just starting to gently rub it in when his mother walked in. "Mom-" He began to complain about embarrassment.

"Oh stop, you've got nothing I haven't seen. Though watching you sit there with your briefs on is rather hilarious, need some help?"

"Um…sure," he offered smiling, trying not to think how weird it was that he and his daughter were basically naked in a tub with his mother in the same room.

"Lean her back and I'll pour the water over her head," Gail replied as she grabbed an old plastic cup. Despite Abi's protests about having water on her, Gail and Jake proceeded to bathe the baby.

"Shh, you're all right, it's okay," he murmured, pressing kissed to her forehead over and over again.

"When we find out what's going on, are you staying, or taking her and leaving?" His mother finally asked as they finished up. She set the baby on the towel on the floor and went about gently drying everything.

Jake sighed, "Honestly, I haven't considered it yet," he answered honestly, wishing his mother wasn't asking him this right now.

"I can't help but think about it, I finally have you back, I'm not ready to lose you again," she answered as she started clothing the baby.

"Can we continue this conversation when I'm dressed?" He asked smirking.

She chuckled, "Sure, I'm going to go downstairs and feed her, need anything?"

"Another towel would be nice," he answered.

She nodded and disappeared for a few moments, before returning with the towel, "We'll be downstairs." With that the two ladies left him alone, the door closing behind them, and Jake stood, stripping off the last of his clothes, he drew the curtain and took the first really hot shower he could remember in far too long.

He considered his mother's question, truthfully he hated the town, but he wanted to believe he was a better man and could live here now, he certainly had always considered wanting to have children one day, but then again he'd never really thought about settling down and having children. Truth was Jericho was his town, his home.

Finishing up his shower and getting dressed, he headed downstairs to see his mother rocking Abi back to sleep with a bottle. Sighing he sat down on the couch, "You were always better at blocking out the bad than dad," he muttered as he sank into the couch.

"He's had more to block out. When you left…you left quite the mess, you have no idea the length your father had to go to square things," she answered.

"Why didn't he talk to me? He spent five years ignoring my existence too," he replied.

Her look was clear sorrow and a hint of pity, "Because he knew you'd resent it. Not to mention that stubborn streak that appears to run in the family. Honey, he deserves to know the truth."

Jake looked up, shock written on his face, and fear, his stomach curdled at the idea of his dad every knowing the truth about his time away. "You want me to tell him about…my time away?"

"This house is too small for big secrets like yours."

Before he could say anything further to dispute her, the power flickered several times, before coming back on. "What was that?"

"Power surges, Mom-"

"Go, just be safe," she requested from him.

The library was on fire, Heather tried to protect her friends the best she could, she heard the fireman giving instructions, along with April who had come to check on the children and the librarian who had been hit moments earlier. As Heather glanced once more over at her children she started taking count, her stomach dropping, "Where's Ashlee?" She questioned nervously.

"She went to get Alice," Lucas offered.

"Alice?" There was no child named Alice, then it hit her, Ashlee's favorite book, "Alice in Wonderland? Inside!?"

Lucas nodded, Heather turned without hesitation and ran into the burning building, knowing full well it was a horrible choice. But she couldn't let any of the kids die, they depended on her. She made a mental note when done with today to go back over with her kids about fire safety. "Ashlee!" She called out as she made it through the stacks of books, the building was already thick with acrid smoke, making her lungs burn, she covered her face with her shirt, "Ashlee, it's Miss Lisinsky!"

Jake had just arrived as he a second truck disappeared, "What's happened?" he questioned his brother.

April shook her head, checking over the librarian still, "A power line," she offered.

"HOLD THE WATER!" Eric shouted, waving his arms to the firemen who were getting ready to start the blaze.

"What's wrong?" April questioned.

"Electrical fires," Eric supplied, as if that explained everything as he went back over to the Chief.

April looked at Jake in exasperation, "If water is sprayed on electricity, everyone that touches it gets fried," he supplied the explanation she'd wanted from her husband.

At Town Hall, Gail arrived with Abi in her baby carrier, just in time to see her handsome husband of near forty years getting dressed in fireman's gear. "Johnston," she said, her tone filled to the brim with frustration and exhaustion.

"Thought you were at the ranch," He offered, attempting to divert her.

"The horses are safe, there's nothing but dirt for miles surrounding them. You are not going to that fire," she stated.

"I let Chief Carroll and half the department go to Denver, we're down to a handful of me," he tried reasoning with her, but he knew it was no use when it came to his beautiful wife.

"Who can handle it. Johnston, you just got over your flu, I don't want to see you any sicker," she returned.

Before either could say anything the radio clicked and Eric's voice came on over it, "Dad! Dad, are you still there?"

"Yeah Eric, I'm on my way," Johnston returned into the radio.

"No! Go downstairs and turn off the power grid to the library," Eric instructed.

"Give me five minutes," then he looked at his wife, "Looks like once again you get your way, they can use me here," and with that he stalked out of the office.

Within a five minutes as promised, his father radioed back that they were good to go. Jake was looking around and noticed that the kids from the bus were there, but Heather was nowhere to be seen.

The fireman started the hoses but within only a matter of seconds the water stopped, "What's wrong?" Jake asked.

"We must be on the water valve must be on the same power grid as the library," explained the Chief, "We lost the pressure when they cut the power."

Jake was torn, his concern for Heather's location was mounting, he looked at his brother, "I'll go to the water station…I think Heather may still be inside," he offered.

Eric nodded, "I'll ask around, go, thank you!"

Jake was about to hobble his way there when Stanley pulled up, "Stanley thank god, the Chaparral," Jake instructed.

Eric looked back to his wife, "Where's Heather?" he asked.

"I don't know, she was here when I got here."

"I think she's still inside," he reasoned, before his wife could say anything further he hurried to the fire truck and grabbed one of the coats, rushing into the building full of smoke.

The air was thick and black, as he took a breath in, which he realized he shouldn't have he coughed harshly. Trying to slow his breathing he headed further into the little library. All too aware that if he didn't find them soon they'd both die.

"Is anyone in here?" He called.

Meanwhile Heather was up just a little further, she burst into one of the rooms, finding Alice in Wonderland on a chair, "Ashlee!" she called, before spotting the small frightened figure underneath the table.

Jake hurried out of the truck, followed closely by Stanley, "Come on if we can turn on the valve, we can get the water back on," they headed inside, to find the large wheel that would turn the valve on.

"Is anyone here!?" Eric called as he continued his through the library, "Heather!?" he called out. He spotted the door open to a classroom. "Heather?" then he spotted her and the little girl, the relief he felt was short lived when he felt something smash into his back and head, then the world went black.

"Damn it!" Growled Jake as he and Stanley grunted in effort to get the stupid wheel to turn.

"It's not going to budge," Stanley stated, shaking his head, "How do you even know this is it?"

"Trust me, it's the manual override. When the power spiked, the solenoid valve shut down in the off position," he explained.

Stanley stared at him as if he had a second head, "What the heck? how do you even know that?"

"How do you not? The motor opens and closes when the powers on, so it doesn't usually require manual labor. We need a fulcrum, something to give us leverage."

Stanley's eyes lit up, "Wait right here!"

"Eric! Eric wake up!" Heather had dragged him away from the burning part of the ceiling that had fallen, stamping out the fire that had tried to get him with a nearby rug. The blue eyes opened, a haziness behind them that worried her. "Eric, we're stuck, I'm sorry I need your help?"

His eyes locked onto her face, taking in the soot covered mess and he nodded, his lungs ached, his chest felt heavy, he was exhausted and he hurt from head to toe, but the little girl and Heather were relying on him. "Okay, both of you crouch down, I'll figure out a way to get us out," he promised, he and Heather each grabbed one of the giant toy snakes to block the door cracks. His head throbbed and he was fairly sure his mother would kill him when he got outside.

He was starting to feel the darkness closing in around him once more from an obvious concussion when suddenly the sprinkler system burst on. He tried to heave a sigh of relief, only to end up coughing, his lungs on fire.

"Come on, we need to get out!" Heather urged, grabbing him by the hand and they rushed through the way they'd first come in.

Outside April was growing hysterical, terror filling her every fiber knowing what could possibly be happening to her husband in there, "Someone has to go in there and help them!" She shouted desperately.

But before anyone could respond the doors burst open and Heather, Ashlee and Eric appeared.

Eric made it all of two steps however, before collapsing to his knees, groaning and desperately trying to breath as another coughing fit tore through his entire body.

"Are you all right?" April asked as she knelt down next to him.

He tried to wave her off, his voice horse, "Check the girl, please," he groaned. He felt a couple hands on each side of him, helping him up and away from the building to sit down somewhere.

Jake and Stanley arrived back a short ten minutes later to find that though the fire was still raging it appeared to be mostly abated, "April! April, Eric! There's another fire!" he shouted, he'd seen it when he'd checked to see if the library had gotten water.

He noted how pale his brother looked, and the labored breathing, "We'll get to it as soon as we can," Eric wheezed.

"Eric," Jake grabbed his brother's shoulder, "It's heading to your house, tell me what you want!"

Eric shook his head, trying to force himself back to his feet, "There's nothing to do. We're already spread too thin, if we don't stop the fires it'll take out all of main street."

"April?" Jake questioned.

She looked devastated but simply nodded, "He's right."

Grabbing his brother's radio he clicked it on, "Dad! Dad are you there?"

"I'm here son, everything all right?"

"I need your help, meet me at Eric's house."

Johnston glanced at Gail who just nodded, "I'll be right there son."

Jake headed back over to Stanley's truck, Stanley having given him the keys as he offered to stay and help people at the library. Hawkins stepped up to him, Jake considered that he'd seen the man on the computer, in truth he hadn't completely made up his mind yet about Robert Hawkins, but the man seemed nice enough. "What are you going to do?" He questioned Jake.

Deciding not to address the obviously bigger issue, Jake shrugged, "I'm going to put out a fire."

"Do you need a hand?"

Jake considered saying no, but in truth he couldn't afford to fight a fire alone, so he nodded, "Please." As they jumped into the car, Jake looked at his neighbor, "Look, I don't know what you are, but coming from someone who is frequently causing trouble, if you're going to help protect this town, then I can't ask for more."

Hawkins nodded, "I'm only here to help," he offered.

Jake could agree to that, he pulled the truck to a stop in front of the houses, "What now?"

"Water, there's a pool pump," he hurried over to the one at a nearby home, "Filtering system, that's pretty smart, Jake. Where'd you learn to do all this?" Hawkins asked.

Jake glanced at him, "Army," he offered quietly.

Jake hurried back to the home, seeing his father pull up to the house, "Turn it on!" he instructed to Hawkins, but Hawkins had disappeared, before he could turn and say anymore the house exploded with a mighty woosh, sending Jake crashing back a few feet.

"Jake!" his father hurried over, helping him to his feet. "Are you all right"

"Think so, Hawkins?" the two men hurried over to the pool pump, but the power gone, just then Hawkins pulled up in an SUV. "What are you doing?" Jake asked.

"Fire knocked out the power, so I found my own," the man grinned as he pulled a plug and went to the back of the SUV, plugging it into the back outlet.

"That was quick thinking," Jake offered to Hawkins.

Hawkins grinned, "Yeah…I learned a few things in my time too," he whispered in response.

Jake didn't say another word, the three men headed to the house to put the fire out.

o0o

It was a few hours later, all the fires had been put out, everyone who still had a home, had gone to theirs. April and Eric were gathering some stuff to bring to the house. Jake came downstairs from putting Abi to bed to find his mother putting out the good silver. "What's the occasion?" He asked.

She smiled and looked up at her eldest, "This set has been passed down five generations and it's seen the light of day maybe half a dozen times since I've had it. From now on, every night is a special occasion."

"Did you turn the TV of?" he questioned.

"Yeah, somehow, it seemed silly to keep staring at a blank screen waiting for god knows who to tell us god knows what," She paused, leaning against one of the chairs and meeting her son's eyes. "Did get me thinking, remember that thing you're running away from? It's not out there, _he's_ upstairs, waiting on dinner."

Jake sighed and closed his eyes, he knew his mother was right, so nodding he headed upstairs. Gail looked up to see her younger son who looked far worse for the wear since she'd last seen him, and April walk in, each carrying a box. "I'm glad you're home," she offered her tone filled with love and compassion.

Jake walked into his father's den, the man was reading quietly on the couch when he noticed his son watching him, "Everything all right?"

"Do you have…some time to talk?"

"Okay, you want a drink?"

Jake nodded as he took a seat. His father grabbed his good scotch, and two tumblers, "It seems like something else is new every day, how are we going to handle all this?" Jake asked.

Johnston sighed, pouring them both a small bit of scotch and handing one to his eldest, then he took a seat, "The same way we did today. Lost a few buildings, but no lives," The man paused, taking a sip of his drink and considered the man before him, "And that is, in no small part, thanks to you. A lot of folks are saying how lucky Jericho is to have you back."

One side of his mouth quirked, he could imagine how irritated that made his dad, "Yeah and what are you telling them?"

"Well, I try to correct them, but nobody listens to me," Johnston joked.

Jake sighed, staring down at the amber liquid in his tumbler, before he spoke, "You know what the hardest part about growing up your son was?" He paused, smiling warily, "It's not the politics, or the expectations. It's that I knew you were a good judge of character, and you thought mine was lousy," he whispered the last bit. He'd spent all his teen years trying to be something he realized he'd never be. His father's cool blue eyes were on him, calculatingly. "When I left town…I was determined to prove you wrong," he paused trying to decide what to tell the man, how to tell him the truth about where he'd been all this time. "But…but instead everywhere I went, I seemed to prove you right."

For his part, Johnston realized he'd been harsh on his young son. The man he'd seen over the past week since the bombs had gone off wasn't the same man who'd left. Johnston was proud of the man who'd come home, he wasn't ready to admit it quite yet, but he was. He also could tell that whatever Jake needed to say he may not be ready to say it.

"Dad, I wasn't _just_ in San Diego," Jake began.

"I don't care," he knew it sounded callous, and cold, and he hadn't meant it to sound quite that harsh.

"What?" His son looked at him, the hurt in his chocolate eyes made Johnston ache.

Johnston sighed and looked up at his son, trying to show Jake as much compassion as he could in one look, "I don't care," he said, softening his tone some, "If you need to tell me, I'll listen. But wherever you went, and whatever you did, it changed you." He took another breath, "And a stupid little punk may have left home, but a pretty decent fellow came back. I can live with that."

Jake looked back down at his now empty glass, trying to decide if he should say anything, "I…I joined the army, I didn't stay, but I went into military school. I'll tell you the rest when I'm ready…but I do need you to know that I tried, dad. I really did."

Johnston smiled at his son, "I know, son," he put his glass on the table, "Let's go see if dinner is done yet."

They headed downstairs, to find Heather had joined them, "Your…your mom invited me over," she explained shyly, as she looked at Jake.

Jake moved over to her, not even caring that she was here, he pulled her close, "I'm just glad you're okay," he whispered into her ear.

"Me too," she replied.

He pulled back and looked at Eric, who was sitting in a chair, washed up and looking tired, "You okay?" he questioned.

Eric shrugged, "Tired," he lied, his chest still ached and his back hurt, but he wasn't quite ready to admit that to his wife who apparently wanted to be his ex wife.

They family and Heather gathered around the table, Jake took a seat next to his mother, with Heather at his side. Gail and Johnston at the ends of the table with Eric and April on the opposite side of Jake and Heather. "For all these years, wanting the whole family around the table," Gail grinned.

"Careful what you wish for," joked Jake as the other chuckled.

"It's delicious, Gail," April offered smiling at her mother-in-law.

"Thank you."

"Yeah, who knew instant potatoes could taste like anything," chuckled Eric, but the chuckle turned into a cough. He tried to hide it quickly, though he felt all eyes on him.

"Well, things will get better, once we get real food," reasoned Gail, trying not to worry about her son.

They were all quiet for a few moments, before Johnston spoke, "Fillet mignon and blue cheese." When all eyes were on him he rolled his eyes, he noticed both Jake and Heather grinning, "Don't tell me you haven't thought about it."

Jake chuckled from his seat, as Heather grinned, "Chinese food," she grinned, her nose wrinkling like it usually did.

"Cheeseburger and French fries," Jake smiled, taking her hand and squeezing it.

"Corn beef and cabbage, with that spicy mustard," she closed her eyes imaging she was eating it while her family chuckled at her.

"Yeah, I could go for a slice of mom's blueberry pie," Eric grinned as his mother blushed and took a fake bow of appreciation.

"Fried chicken with some fresh corn on the cob," they all laughed.

"Oh my god chocolate cake," Heather laughed, as Gail whole heartedly agreed.

The dinner was interrupted by Stanley informing them there was a feed over at Bailey's. The group headed over, Jake reached out, taking Heather's hand in his as they walked over. She smiled at him, "Your family is really nice," she offered soft enough they may not hear.

He nodded, "They're pretty great. What's wrong with Eric?"

"He got hit by some ceiling, he was down for a bit, he took in a lot of smoke unfortunately," she whispered.

Jake made a mental note to tell his sister-in-law that at the first chance he got. The feed from Bailey's didn't tell them much, but as the ground rumbled. As they ran outside, Jake felt his stomach sink, "Are those missiles?" April asked.

"The better question is are they ours or theirs?" Gail questioned.

"They're going out, they're ours," Jake replied, he felt Heather at his side. He gripped her hand again.

"Is this it? Are we at war?" Eric asked.

Another bright explosion above them shot out and instantly every light around them shut down. "What was that?" Stanley asked.

"It was an EMP," Jake supplied, "Electromagnetic Pulse, fries anything electronic."

"Is that the help we've been waiting for?" someone asked.

"Is anyone coming to help us?" Eric questioned.

Johnston shook his head, "No, I don't think so. He stepped up in front of his town and sighed, "Folks, I know we're all scared, and nervous. Let's go home tonight, shut your doors, lock them if it makes you feel safe. We'll reconvene in the morning."

Jake looked at Heather, "Come on, I'll walk you home."

TBC


	4. No One is Coming

**A/N: Sorry for the delay between the holidays, getting hit by a devious head cold, and a new obsession with NCIS, I've been a bit slow I admit on writing and updating.**

 **Chapter Four – No One is Coming**

It was around the fifth time he jolted awake from his daughter's cries, that Jake just decided to skip sleeping and headed downstairs. The bags under his eyes were beginning to take shape and look more like baggage for a trip; he stood in the kitchen with his daughter crying in one arm, and coffee in the other. Three days now, for the last three days Abi had been crying what felt like non-stop. His mother and April assured him that Colic in babies was completely normal. It did little to assuage his exhaustion, since she typically decided to struggle with it during the late hours. During the day she seemed fine, it was from the time he laid down to sleep until dawn that she screamed for hours.

"Honey," the light flipped on, jolting him out of his thoughts and he looked down to see he'd been trying to make coffee without water. His mother gave him a sympathetic smile before she took the coffee pot from him and began helping him. "You're not alone in this sweetheart; you're welcome to wake me if you need a few hours of sleep.

"It's fine; I'm already pilfering your food and your home. Doesn't seem fair that I'm disrupting your sleep constantly too," he muttered. He knew he'd been waking practically everyone up in the house for the last several days. He felt guilty about it, especially since in the last few days his brother's health had rapidly been declining.

Gail waved his concerns off as she finished getting the coffee ready and reached out to her granddaughter, "Let me take her, come on there are a few things we can try," she assured him.

Jake followed his mother like a zombie after food, shuffling behind her to the dark living room. She took the blanket Jake had put over his shoulder, laying it down on the table, and then put Abi on the blanket. Jake watched as his mother tightened the swaddle a bit more than he normally would. Though it was instant, as she lay the baby back in his arms and began rubbing her belly, soon the infant began to calm.

"How'd you do that?"

She chuckled, patting his cheek, "You think she's the first chocolate eyed baby in my house to let the world know how crabby she is," with that she headed back upstairs.

Jake looked down at Abi, she'd calmed, her face still red from being upset, but she was no longer wiggling, just staring up at him with damp eyelashes. "It's cause she's grandma isn't it?" He questioned. He took her slight sniffle and lip wobble as a yes before he began to rock her slowly, completely forgetting about his coffee.

The following morning Johnston and his wife came down the stairs to still find their son fast asleep with Abi, "Maybe we should move his bed down here," Johnston offered with a knowing smile.

"To be fair you slept there almost as much as he has when he was the one with colic. Why don't you take him into your office, talk to him about that thing you've been planning to discuss recently," she eyed her husband knowingly.

Johnston sighed and nodded, more than half the town had mentioned the same idea to him over the past several days since the explosions. While he wasn't personally excited over the idea, his wife had encouraged the opportunity, citing more than a dozen reasons why it was a good idea. "Right, I'll go wake him up," he responded, knowing he didn't have a choice or say in this, moving over to his son he lifted the baby from the man's arms, effectively waking his son as well.

"Go get dressed and ready to head into town, I need your help today with your brother down," Johnston instructed.

Jake gave him a walleyed look before nodding and standing to head up the stairs. Johnston had to hold back his snicker as he watched the young man, he looked down at his granddaughter and smiled, "Daddy's a bit sleepy isn't he, don't imagine that's anything to do with you?" The dark auburn eyes belied nothing. "I thought so," he grinned before he kissed her cheek, getting a delighted gurgle out of her.

"Grandpa's a total softie," Gail muttered as she looked at the coffee that had long since cooled when she'd made it for her son. Shaking her head she began the process of getting breakfast ready for them.

It was ten minutes later when Jake came back downstairs, looking slightly refreshed, his mother offered a smile, "Did you want something for breakfast?"

Jake shook his head, "I'll have a power bar at the station," he reasoned.

"You feeling okay?" She questioned.

He nodded, "Just tired, sorry."

"Well, we're off honey, see you later. Jake, ready?"

"Yeah dad," Jake waved by to his mother and kissed his daughter on the nose, before following him out of the house.

They were both quiet as they made their way to the town hall, it wasn't until they'd entered Johnston's office, that his father finally really began to speak. "It's come to my attention over the last…several days of everything we've gone through, that a large majority of the town all seem to feel they've already got a candidate in mind for the Sheriff's replacement," Johnston explained as he sat down at his desk, Jake on the other side.

"Doesn't it have to be a vote?"

Johnston nodded, "Yes, but if a Sheriff is killed in a duty a new one can be appointed in his interim. Seeing as the individual everyone keeps mentioning seems to be the majority vote, I figured it was probably appropriate to name him as the interim."

Jake could understand that, so he nodded, "Who is it?" He asked, curious, his brother was Deputy Mayor, and as far as he knew he'd never killed someone, so sheriff wouldn't be the best choice for him probably.

Suddenly the sheriff's badge was tossed into his lap. Jake's eyes went wide as he looked at the five point star that said Jericho Sheriff. His chest tightened, never in all his life had he thought this was a remote possibility, "Are…are you sure?"

"Doesn't matter if I am or not, I've had well over 3000 people in and out of this office for the past six days and all have asked who I planned to replace the sheriff with and each one suggested you by name. Seems you made quiet the impression on this town. They trust you, this also means they're going to be looking to you now, Jake."

"You saying I can't be a flake anymore, dad?" Jake grinned.

Johnston gave him a tight smile, "I'm saying make sure you remember you earned their trust and you can just as easily earn their distrust, understood?"

Jake nodded, "Yessir," he replied.

"Good, now that that's finished, your first job is to go over and man your new troops, if they give you issues let me know, I know Bill's never been a big fan of you. I expect you to try and get everything under control with the complaints that have been rolling in lately."

Jake nodded, "Sure thing, Mayor," Jake replied, standing he headed out of the office and over to the sheriff's office.

In the end, Jake ended up hiring another 4 deputies over the following two weeks, including Robert Hawkins and Stanley, though they were just to ensure everyone was getting their needs addressed appropriately. Johnston had to admit as he stood back and watched his son take over the other officers and helped people, there was definitely a military background to his methods, he planned things, he discussed them and then he gave his orders.

Gail and Johnston were quietly lying in bed one evening when the topic came up, "He's a rather impressive sheriff," Johnston admitted.

"You doubted him?"

"You knew he was in the military didn't you?"

Gail nodded, "I knew he served some, I don't know to what extent, he hasn't told me much really. I think a lot of it is still too fresh to him, but I was aware. He…he sent me one of his dog tags shortly after he joined." She reached over to her bedside table and pulled the tag out.

"You never told me that," Johnston had to admit he was surprised; the dog tags were as much symbolic as they were a necessity. Everyone in the military was given two, it was clear that Jake had removed the black silencer surrounding his and replaced it with neon green, which Johnston could see both on this one, as well as the one that lay around his son's neck.

"You have to cut him some slack honey, he's only ever wanted your approval," she offered, the same thing she told her son.

o0o

The electricity had been out for two weeks, and in those two weeks Jake was fairly sure they'd managed to keep the chaos to a minimum. He was walking around town when he heard glass smash, and glanced up just in time to see two teenagers looking at the window in surprise and amusement. Jake hurried over just in time to see Dale run out of the grocery store and shove the blonde boy to the ground.

"Hey!" Jake snapped, grabbing Dale around his middle, to stop him from hitting the boy further, "What are you doing?" He asked as the other boy hurried away. Jake made a mental note to warn the boys about playing in the street later.

"He broke our window, twice this week already!" Dale shouted his face red with anger.

"I'm sorry, I'll talk to them about it, but you can't go around shoving people in the street. If you have a problem you bring it up with one of us."

"All you'll do is write a report," Dale snapped.

Jake shook his head, "Come to me, I'll handle it," Jake suggested then.

Dale pulled away from him, "I can take care of myself," he growled.

Jake sighed, and headed over to Bailey's for a cup of coffee, Mary smiled as he entered, "How's your brother?" She questioned.

He took a seat on a barstool and start sipping the black coffee, "He's still sick, he sounds horrible. April seems pretty worried," he whispered. Truth was he was worried to, his brother was running a high fever, and he wasn't eating. The entire family was worried about him.

Mary looked worried, Jake was well aware that Mary and Eric were screwing around behind April's back. He loved his sister-in-law, but at the same time he understood Eric wanting to be in love. Eric deserved happiness and if he didn't have it with April then Jake wasn't the person to fault him for his decisions. Reaching out, Jake gripped her hand, offering him a reassuring smile, "He'll be fine I won't let anything happen to him."

She looked down at her bar and sighed, "Am I a horrible person?"

"No, look I can't fault you two if you're in love. Am I happy to see April get hurt? No, but we'll help her through this."

"Thanks Jake," Mary whispered, before turning and heading back to the other side of her bar.

"Mary, Mary," a familiar voice sent chills up Jake's spine. He looked at Mitchell Cafferty, he was still as rude and annoying as ever.

Mary shook her head no, "We're not doing this again, Mitch. You're not welcome here."

"Oh come on, with everything that's happened, I just wanted a cold beer," he leered.

Jake glared at the man as Mary responded, "Well we haven't served anything for a long time."

He chortled, "Then just give me whatever you got…or uh, I could get it myself," he reached out to touch her arm.

Jake saw red, "You best rethink that," he snapped, trying to keep his calm as he glared at the scum.

The man glanced over at him and laughed, Jake knew Mitch hated him, the man moved over to him, grinning like a fool, "Wow! I was sure you'd gone up in the blast…then again, you've always been…resilient and hard to kill," the man sneered. When Jake didn't reply, barely giving him a look, and flat out refused to shake his hand, Mitch chuckled, "Aw come on man, don't be like that. Besides if anyone should have a grudge it should be me, right? I mean, you're the one who left me holding the bags while you split town."

Jake's jaw tightened, he wanted to hit the asshole, he'd never cared for Mitch. But the past was in the past, he couldn't hurt people anymore. He had to be stronger, for his dad, for his mother…and especially for Abigail. "You're right," Jake stood to walk out, "Don't make me kick your ass again," he snarled in response.

Mitch's hand shot out and gripped Jake's upper arm tight, murder in his eyes. Hawkins stepped in right as Mitch grabbed the man, "Everything all right here?" He asked his boss and friend. Hawkins wasn't sure how he'd come to love this town so quickly, but he understood that he and Jake had more in common that nearly everyone else in this town. They had a mutual understanding that each one was considered on duty every other day. Jake was technically off duty today, putting Hawkins and Jimmy in charge for the day.

"Wow, you travel with your own bodyguard now?" Mitch paused, "That's probably not a bad idea."

"We got a problem here?" Hawkins questioned again as he stepped closer to Jake. He met Jake's eyes that clearly screamed do not engage, but all the same he felt the need to protect their new sheriff.

"No, no trouble at all, just two old friends catching up," lied Mitch.

Hawkins hummed in amusement, "Right, well maybe you should do that some other place…and some other time," he suggested.

Mitch shook his head, "See you soon, Green," and with that he and his henchmen wandered out.

Jake closed his eyes in relief as he looked at Hawkins, "Thanks," he muttered.

Hawkins nodded, "You good?"

"Yeah, I have to head home, I promised to help out on the farm today. You guys good?"

Hawkins nodded again, "Nothing new to report, honestly just came to get a coffee."

"Have a good day, see you tonight," he promised before walking out of the bar, knowing all eyes were on him.

o0o

Hawkins couldn't deny he was interested in Mitch Cafferty and Jake's history, as soon as he got back to the office. He was looking over the file when his Mayor walked into the office, "Whatcha got there?" Mayor Green questioned.

"Rap sheet on Mitchell Cafferty, armed robbery, assault, gun trafficking," Hawkins listed.

He saw Johnston's mouth line grow tight as he sighed, "Yeah…not one of our finest residents," Johnston replied as he recalled the night he'd gotten the call. Anger hadn't been his first reaction, fear, terror and heartache over the boy who'd died.

"What do you know about him?" Hawkins questioned.

"He hasn't given us trouble recently, he stays outside of town in a compound with a bunch of other guys," Johnston replied.

"Like survivalist?"

Johnston nodded, "Something like that, why you so interested suddenly?"

"Well, he was in Bailey's this morning, had some words with Jake. Looked like there was a lot of history there," Hawkins reasoned.

There seemed to be a hint of fear and panic from Johnston, "What did Jake do?"

Hawkins shrugged, "Kept his cool, didn't engage. Nothing really."

Johnston nodded, "Well, it's history at this point, lets keep it that way, shall we," Johnston smiled and walked back to his office.

o0o

Jake had to admit his mind was elsewhere while his mother chatted with him idly about how he could've been a jockey. His mind was on Mitch, he worried how their interaction today would affect them all later. He sighed "Talk to me, I'm tired of hearing my own voice," she glanced over at him, her brow furrowing, "You okay?"

He lied; it was easier than telling the truth, "Fine, just tired. I'm going to go get the water," he replied walking around the side of the barn. He heard the horses panicking and a moment later heard the trampling noise, running around the side he felt his stomach churn, "MOM! Stay down!" he shouted, it was rule number one of horses. He watched as the two individuals rode off with their horses, he was nearly certain one of them was Cafferty. Rage filled his veins pumping through his body instantly as his protective instinct flared up at the thought of his mother getting hurt. He hurried over to her, "Mom, are you okay?"

"Who were those guys?" She asked, out of breath gripping her arm close to her chest protectively.

"I'm not sure, let's get you up and home," he suggested, "Can you walk?" He was prepared to carry her if needed.

Nodding, she allowed her son to get behind her and gently pull her to her feet, she swayed for a moment, leaning heavily against her son's chest. "Come on, lets get you to the car," he was still enraged, he had every plan to go after Mitch once his mother was home. They took it slow, his arms wrapped around her gently to help secure her arm to her chest. "Okay, can you climb up in?" he questioned as they got to the truck; she nodded and pulled herself up with her good arm. He shut the door gently, before racing to the other side of the car.

The ten minute drive back home felt like an eternity, as Jake tried to avoid the potholes and anything that would potentially hurt his mother further. He arrived home and again helped his mother out, he was practically shaking at this point with rage, as they walked thru the front door he practically screamed, "DAD! APRIL!"

"Jake, I'm fine you don't need to shout," his mother encouraged as he steered her towards a nearby chair.

"What in the blaz—" Johnston went white at the sight of his wife looking like she'd been knocked around, "Are you all right, what the hell happened? Jake, what happened?!" His father demanded.

"It wasn't his fault Johnston," Gail assured her husband, "A couple men stole our horses," she the explained.

April, and surprisingly a very pale looking Eric came hurrying downstairs, "Mom, are you all right?" Eric asked.

"She hurt her shoulder," Jake replied, "Correction Mitch hurt her," he growled.

Johnston looked up in shock, "You're sure, you saw his face?"

Jake clenched and unclenched his jaw a couple times before he replied through clenched teeth, "No, I didn't." He turned and headed up the stairs two at a time, he kept repeating in his brain not to act out, but he couldn't stop himself from reaching under his mattress and grabbing the revolved he'd left there five years ago when he'd left. He checked the chamber, ensuring there were bullets, before clicking it shut and tucking it into his waistband. No one hurt his mother and got away with. No one screwed with his family.

When he came back downstairs his mother's arm was in a sling, his father on the couch looking irritated as hell and his brother looking equally frustrated. His father spotted him out of the corner of his eyes, and they narrowed. But his mother spoke up first, "Jake? Where are you going?"

He couldn't lie again, he'd caused her to get hurt, he'd kill the sonofabitch who'd done this, "To find Mitch," he replied as he grabbed the door. Only to have his father step in front of it and slam it shut again.

"And then what?" His father questioned suspicion filling his voice.

"I don't know yet," he replied, lying as he felt the gun metal heating up against his skin.

Eric shook his head, not understanding, maybe it was the fog of the what April was fairly sure was developing into pneumonia. "Well hold on Jake, you said you weren't sure he was behind it. You just said you hadn't gotten a good look," he reiterated.

"Now look. You know I would like nothing better to than to string up the guy who did this. But that's not the way we do things. Last time you got mixed with Mitch Cafferty, you left town and a boy was dead," his father snapped.

The growl was deep in his chest, like he wanted to snarl at his father, instead he pursed his lips, "I'm not that guy anymore," he replied.

Just like that his father reached out and snatched his shirt up, pulling the gun from his waist band. "Yeah, and let's just make sure it stays that way."

"Look, if I don't take care of him, he'll come back," hissed Jake.

"We have to do this right!" Johnston snapped, he was so angry.

"He could be out there!" "If this family starts breaking the law, how are we supposed to enforce it!" the two men yelled at the same time.

Gail's eyes were huge at the sight of the gun, she watched as her son struck out at their front door with all his pent up rage. The bang startled her as he growled and threw open the door, stalking out.

"Come on Eric, you're still running a fever, let's get upstairs," April suggested.

Johnston sat down beside her husband who was still shaking his head and looked exhausted more than ever. "I'm worried about him," she admitted as she sat down beside her husband.

Johnston nodded, "So am I. I don't think I'll ever forget that night I got that call. Went out there and saw that Mitch Cafferty in handcuffs, that other kid all covered in blood, and all I could think is... one of those boys could have been Jake," he could remember it, how sick he felt that night. He'd wanted to scream, yell, cry a million things at once; he'd wanted to shake his son silly for being an idiot for getting involved with Jonah and Cafferty. Even now, the idea that his son, his eldest boy, the boy he'd cherished from infancy, being covered in blood and dead made him feel physically ill.

o0o

Despite assuring his father he'd do nothing of the sort, Jake went out to the farm, following the hoof prints, all the way to the Green airport. He found the horses in a pen and smiled, petting one on the nose, "Hey girl," he murmured softly, stroking the silky end of the nose.

"Jake," a voice of surprise called from behind him. He whirled around to see Dale standing there with a couple buckets for water.

"Dale, what are you doing here?" Jake questioned turning fully away from the horses.

Dale shook his head, looking caught between panicked and sorry. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know," Dale tried to justify.

Jake's brows furrowed, "Didn't know what?" But before Jake could go any further, something hard slammed into the back of his head, he grunted as he struggled to hold onto consciousness, but ultimately he felt the darkness encroaching before he completely blacked out.

Dale felt sick watching his friend, someone he trusted, someone who loved his town be dragged into the barn, unconscious. Mitch looked down at the body of his former friend, before he started wailing on the man, kicking him all over his body. As Jake began to come to he cried out in pain. "STOP!" Dale yelled as he was held back.

"Get the hell out Dale," Jake ground out through pain. He felt another kick, his rib crack, then another kick, hitting his kidneys, he cried out in pain.

"You're going to kill him!" Dale cried out.

Jake spat blood onto the ground, "You've crossed a line," he growled.

"Excuse me!" Snapped Mitch.

"You heard me!" He hissed, "Coming to our ranch, taking our horses," he spat more blood on the ground, his chest ached now, his stomach hurt, he would have vicious bruises, and he wasn't particularly sure how to keep them from his family.

"I crossed the line!? I went to jail that night you bailed on us!" He all but screamed, "My best friend had half his head blown off!"

"I told you I wasn't going to rob anybody," Jake groaned, wrapping his arms around his ribs.

"Oh, come on. Stop acting like an angel. Did you come back to settle down? Raise a family, maybe do a little farming?"

Jake tried to remain straight, but the muscles in his recently abused stomach and abs weren't having it. "Never planned to stay," he admitted, he then turn the coldest eyes he had towards Mitch, "You or anybody ever comes near my family again, I will kill you," he assured, his voice low and deadly.

Mitch grinned, yanking Jake's sore head back hard, pointing the gun in his hand under his chin, "That's the Jake I know," he grinned as he nailed the man in the face once again, opening up a cut on his cheek.

He then grabbed Jake's arm, all but forcing him to his feet, "I'm taking you to see Jonah," he grinned, but as he yanked the man to his feet, Jake threw his knee as hard into Mitch's gut as he could, causing him to double over. The two men threw a couple punches before Hawkins and Jimmy shoed up, guns drawn.

"Freeze!" Jimmy shouted, instantly Mitch ran, grabbing one of the horses, Jake hurried out after him, only to see Mitch raise his gun and try to blow him away, before taking off with the horse.

Jake grunted in pain, dropping to his knees, and whimpering at the agony of feeling like his ribs were shifting constantly. He felt Hawkins and Jimmy's hands under his arms, lifting him up slowly to his feet. He groaned, trying to stay on his feet when he finally reached them.

"We should get you to the clinic," Hawkins recommended.

Jake shook his head, "No, just get me back to the station, I need…I need to clean up," he groaned as he was helped to his truck.

"We'll meet you back at the station then?" Hawkins reaffirmed, once he got a nod from Jake, he turned around and headed out with Jimmy. "You think Cafferty will be back?"

Jimmy nodded, "I think he means to kill Jake."

"What's the beef between those two anyway?"

Jimmy took a deep breath, considering his words carefully, "About seven years ago, Jake Green got involved with a man named Jonah Prowse, he's the one who runs the compound just outside of the town. Unfortunately, Jonah isn't exactly well known for his law abiding ways either. Jake was about 24 or 25 around that time, he was struggling to find himself I suppose, or something. Anyway, Jake got involved in a number of…somewhat illicit activities; I wasn't involved much, so I don't know much. But I guess Jake had his limits of how far he'd go…Jonah wanted him to rob someone or something. Jake refused, but not long in advance, literally just hours before hand, leaving both Cafferty and another boy hanging for a watch out, they got caught, Chris, the other boy died. Mitch was sentenced to jail."

"Shit, well if anyone has a reason to want him dead, it'd be Mitch," Hawkins replied.

Jake sat on the edge of a desk in the back of the office, wiping the blood away from his busted lip and the slit on his cheek, "What the hell happened to you," snapped Johnston as he stepped into the room. Jake twitched in surprise and visibly winced, Johnston glared at him, "Something you want to tell me about?" He stepped forward, gripping his son's chin, he grimaced at the gouge in Jake's face.

"It's nothing dad," he grumbled.

"That's why that idiot and Dale are in my office right now being questioned by Hawkins and Jimmy?"

"No," Jake lied. He felt the hand on his jaw tighten and he bit back a hiss of pain as it made his head pound harder.

"Don't you dare lie to me boy, I can just as easily remove that badge I gave you. Let's get your stubborn ass home so April can patch you up…again," he muttered.

Despite not wanting anything to do with his father at the moment, Jake did as he was told. Standing gingerly he followed his father home, thought admittedly he walked much slower than the older man, as his ribs felt like they were on fire.

o0o

Gail sat on the table in front of her son, who was finally fast asleep on the couch. A damp cloth draped across his forehead, he was pale and his coughing was growing worse. Sweat plastered his hair to his face. Gail reached out and stroked her son's bearded cheek, before standing. April came down the stairs, her eyes red from crying over her husband recently, she was terrified he was going to die, she knew their marriage was over, even if he survived this, but it killed her to see him so sick. "He's finally asleep," Gail whispered as she came over and took a seat on the stair case.

"Good, so is Abi, how are you feeling?" April questioned, sitting beside her mother-in-law.

"Hanging in there, I suppose. I'm worried about both my boys," she murmured.

"I'm sorry there isn't more I can do for Eric, believe me, it's killing me to see him this way. As for Jake…" she smiled sadly, "Well, he's a bit stubborn."

Gail had to curtail her guffaw to keep from waking Eric, "No, obstinate, stubborn, and frustrating as hell. Just like his father."

"I can't imagine what he was like as a teenager," she chuckled.

Before Gail could answer the door to the house open and she gasped at the sight of her son, "What on earth?"

"I'm fine," Jake muttered as he and his father stepped into the house.

April shook her head and sighed, "You guys are going to deplete my entire medical stock, come on Jake upstairs."

Jake followed April, leaving Gail and Johnston behind, "What on earth happened?" Gail demanded of her husband.

Johnston sighed, "The idiot went to the airport after Cafferty, seems Cafferty wanted to teach him a lesson."

"Is Cafferty in custody?"

"No, at least not yet. But I'm fairly certain he'll come and finish the job if we aren't cautious."

Jake stepped into his bedroom, peaking into the crib at his little girl who was sleeping soundly, "How's she doing?"

April smiled despite the situation, "She's okay, the colic seems to be getting better. Her bouts of crying are less often and have been shorter today. So I can see what happened to your face, but I'd prefer to see what you're hiding under that shirt."

"April-"

"Jacob Green, if you have busted ribs you could die."

He stared at his sister-in-law, "I know the risks. Look, mom and dad can't know, please. Okay, let me catch Cafferty, then you can do whatever you feel is necessary. I…dad is already mad."

"And you think by hiding injuries you'll make him happier?" She reasoned, skepticism written all over her beautiful features.

He closed his eyes for a moment, "Please, Mitch could hurt them, I can't let anything happen to my family," his last word was choked. I know how to catch him, I just need time. I think Dale knows something, please. Let me catch them, once it's said and done, I'm all yours."

She sighed and looked down, "Fine, you promise me you aren't feeling an affects of a concussion, and that you're certain non of those ribs are broken, and I'll agree to just clean your face and let you go."

He nodded, and lied once more, "No broken ribs and my head is fine, barely got hit," in truth every few minutes it felt like his entire world was part of a tilt-a-whirl. It made his stomach churn.

April didn't believe him for a minute, but she knew fighting with this man would get her nowhere. He was his father's son, "Fine, let me go get a cloth and I'll wipe the cut out."

o0o

Jake and Hawkins followed Dale out to the farm, Jake shook his head, "Dale, you need to be smarter about who you're handing out with," he offered.

Hawkins didn't think Jake should really talk, but if the man had changed, which appeared to be the case, perhaps he was the perfect person to talk. All the same, Dale shook his head, "I don't hang out with them. I needed Shawn and Mitch to help move stuff. You know that train she was expecting. It crashed, it was full of food supplies. It's how I've been stocking Gracie. I didn't want anyone knowing about it," he explained as he reached for the barn doors.

As they stepped inside, Dale's eyes went wide, it was all gone, "No…no it was all here, stacked completely to the rafters," Dale felt like screaming. He'd let her down.

"One guess who took it," Jake offered.

"Any ideas where they'd have taken it?" Hawkins asked.

Jake nodded, "I have a few ideas," then he paused hearing the crunch of the hay under a boot, then he saw the figure walking outside and around. He gave a couple quick military motions to Hawkins and they headed in different directions.

Heading around behind Mitch, Hawkins kept his gun drawn, "Hands in the air Cafferty!" He barked. "Put the gun down!"

Mitch dropped his gun and started running, just to have Jake clothes line him right in the neck and chest. Again, Jake saw red as he dropped down on top of the bastard, "Where's the food?" He questioned, as he drew his fist back and slammed it against Mitch's face.

"Jake," Hawkins warned.

"Where is it!" Jake screamed hitting him two or three more times, before he felt Hawkins grabbing him and removing him physically from Mitch

As they drove back to the station, with Dale and Mitch in the back, Jake sat quietly staring out the window, he was still furious at Mitch for what the ass had done to his mom. He looked at his knuckles that were swollen slightly. When they arrived, Hawkins took Cafferty to get booked, while Jake spotted his mother and father standing in the office, his father gave him a knowing look, before shaking his head.

Jake sighed and headed into the room, taking a seat in a chair, his mother closing the door, "When I gave you that badge, I trusted you to do something right for once in your life!" Johnston growled.

"Johnston," Gail warned.

"No! I've had enough of this, I thought you changed, you've shown this town how strong you are. Now this stupid little punk comes back and suddenly I'm seeing that little bastard who left. Well if you want to continue on this little suicide mission of yours, then there's the damn door!"

"Johnston!" Gail snapped, "That's how I lost my son five years ago!"

"Why are you defending that asshole!" Jake was just as angry as he stood, thankful both his parents were angry enough not to notice the slight waver in his step. "He almost killed mom, he's luck I didn't slit his throat!"

"Stop it Jacob! You're not that guy anymore!" she yelled at her son. "Stop it both of you! I'm already in danger of losing one son, I will not lose my other boy to you, Johnston Green. And you!" She turned on her son, "You will act like the man I know in there, the one who's made me incredibly proud lately. If you can't act your damn age, then you can go sit in the cell beside Mitch." Her face nearly as red as her fiery hair she turned and looked at Dale and Shawn who still sat out in the bullpen looking miserable. "What about those two?" she questioned, voice softening.

"Dale is free to go, but Shawn helped steal the horses," Jake replied softly.

"He's still just a boy," Gail answered.

Johnston heaved a frustrated sigh, "A boy who just about killed you, Gail."

She whirled on her husband, her eyes cold and calculating, "Well that doesn't matter, because I'm not pressing charges. These cells are too small to hold everyone who ever made a mistake or two," her eyes moved to her oldest with that final statement. Both Green men knew better than to say anything further for several minutes.

"Then what do you suggest?" Johnston inquired, his voice quiet now, not wanting to anger his wife further.

"Rehabilitation," her thoughts went to Stanley and the knowledge that he needed help picking all the corn.

o0o

Stanley was just about to burn half his crop when Gail showed up, with a quarter of the town, including Heather, Jake, Shawn, Johnston, Dale and even to his surprise, Skylar who was even appropriately dressed to help. "You said you needed to pick everything today, well we're here. No strings attached," Gail explained.

Stanley looked over at Bonnie and Mimi, who were both grinning, "Thank you, really," he whispered, the humility he felt over knowing Mimi had stolen for him, knowing that these people he knew and trusted cared enough to help. He felt Bonnie squeeze his hand, and he was glad to squeeze it in return.

Jake, Shawn and Dale looked at Gail as everyone went to work, "I'm really sorry, Mrs. Green, about everything," Dale offered.

Reaching out she cupped his cheek and nodded, "You remind me of another young man not so long ago. We're all here for you, sweetheart. All you have to do is say the word."

As they headed off to gather the corn, his mother handed him his own bin, "You okay, you're looking a bit peaked."

Waving her off he moved over near Heather and started working, "Haven't seen you in a few days," Heather smiled as he began picking.

He smiled in response, glad to see her, unable to explain how she made him feel, "Sorry, I've been busy," he replied.

The two worked side by side in silence, enjoying one another's company, Jake realized on some level he may have been sweating heavier than others. Perhaps it was when he bent over to grab Heather's bucket and carry it to the barn for her that he realized it, his entire world tilted and he had to drop to his knees to keep from falling on his ass. Nausea swept over him and the vertigo got worse as he tried to keep the little food he'd eaten today down.

"Jake?" Heather's voice was filled with concern, she knelt beside him, her hand on his shoulder and the other on his knee, "What's wrong, do I need to get help?" She questioned rapidly, fear filling her, he was almost ghost white, and he was drenched from sweat, she could feel slight tremors beneath her delicate fingers.

"I…I just need some water," he replied, trying to remain even so as not to scare her, "I'm fine," he reassured her. He went to stand, only to feel his entire world tilt again, this time the darkness swept in and all but threw him to the ground, his eyes rolled back into his head and he sagged from his knees over onto his back.

"JAKE!" she shouted. Her hand flew to his neck, he had a pulse but it seemed far too fast, then she noticed something on his stomach where his shirt was riding up, pulling it up a bloom of dark blacks and blues colored his upper sides and chest. "I need help!" she cried out.

Gail and Johnston had been taking a water break when they heard Jake's name being shouted, followed by the 'I need help' and both jumped off the truck and went running. Almost everyone had gone by now, as dusk was fast approaching, only the Richmonds and Greens remained, with Mimi and Heather.

They ran into the corn field and found Jake on the ground, unconscious, "What happened?" Gail asked as she knelt down, but then her eyes lay on his torso, "Was…did that happen earlier?" She wasn't sure who she was asking.

"He could've just signed his own death certificate," growled Johnston.

"M' fine," Jake mumbled, opening his eyes. But his face had gone from pale to beat red from the head, he opened his eyes, and looked up at his mom in confusion, "Mom…why are you in Iraq?" he asked.

Blinking rapidly a few times to get rid of her tears, Gail gently stroked her son's cheek, "You're in Jericho baby," she whispered.

"Heather, go get Stanley, we need to get him somewhere cooler," Johnston instructed.

"My head hurts," he slurred.

Johnston knelt beside his son as well, "Son, can you get up, we need to get you into the shade."

Jake nodded, followed by a groan, before he allowed his father to help him to his feet. He wavered for a moment, leaning wholly on his father for support, before the two of them and Gail made their way back to the trucks.

"Is he okay!?" Stanley begged as he ran over.

"He will be, Stanley, we need to get him home."

The blonde nodded, "Of course, it's all but done here, Bonnie and I can handle the rest. Thank you for everything, again. I'll come and check on him tomorrow."

Upon arriving home, Jake was a bit more aware of his surroundings, though he looked just as exhausted. April took one look at him and nearly blew her lid, "Get him upstairs," she followed father and son, well aware of the concerned looks she was getting from Gail behind her. April looked at her in-laws and sighed, on one hand she was happy to throw Jake to the wolves so to speak, but on the other hand, it was absolutely unfair of her, because she'd let him go in the first place. "Gail, Johnston, can I have a moment with your son?"

Gail looked ready to dispute, but Johnston must've seen something in April's eyes, because he nodded and turned, ushering his wife out of the room. "April—"

The fiery woman held up her hand, "I told you to come right back," she replied, her voice was deadly quiet, and he couldn't help but fear his health slightly.

"I'm sorry," he could blame his mother, but that probably wasn't fair. His mother hadn't known his actual condition.

April sighed, sitting down heavily on the bed, she closed her eyes, unwilling tears fell from them. She was surprised when he grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "I can't loose you both, I can't fail your parents like that," she whispered. "They're all I have, Jake. I need you to be more careful. Because I can't watch you break Gail's heart. I can't watch Johnston mourn you again like you're already dead. I just can't."

Jake looked down at her hand and smiled, "You know I always wanted a little sister. When mom told me they were having a boy I pitched a fit for days, demanding they fix their mistake," he chuckled, glad when he heard April do the same. "I'm sorry I've worried you, and I'm sorry you're not comfortable enough tell me that."

April scooted over at the front of the bed beside him, and leaned on his shoulder, "I haven't seen you in five years, I did miss you and I am worried about you."

Jake nodded, leaning his own head against hers, "I love my brother, but you deserve better," he whispered.

He felt the shaking and glanced down to see her furiously wiping at her face, "I'm sorry—"

"I'm pregnant," she whispered, barely audible, as tears coursed down her face.

He went still, "What?" he'd heard her, he just couldn't imagine it.

"I…" she pulled back, "I'm pregnant, I haven't told anyone yet," she started sobbing, and all Jake could do was pull him into her arms, rocking her back and forth like he did Abi. "I'm pregnant and the father doesn't even love me."

"Hey, Eric loves you…I just don't think he's in love with you. But, April, he's going to love your child no matter what, I promise," he whispered, running his hand over her red hair.

"I'm going to be a single mother."

He chuckled, "I'm a single father, we can be single together," he joked. He pressed a kiss to the crown of her head and sighed, "We're certainly a pair aren't we."

The two were quiet for a moment, before Jake finally spoke, "Is my brother going to die?" he asked softly, afraid to even speak the words.

April sniffled, "Not if I have anything to say about it," she replied.


	5. Rogue River

**A/N: Wow I'm sorry for nearly 9 months between updates, life just kinda...took off. Anyway I switched episodes around some.**

 **Chapter Five – Rogue River**

In the hours that followed the arrest of Mitchell Cafferty, the police department, and Mayor were on edge, just waiting for Jonah Prowse to show up. Still sporting bruises from his interaction with Cafferty, Jake sat in his father's office, a cup of coffee balanced on his knee, eyes mostly closed. He was awake, just enough to be aware of what was going on around him.

Johnston walked into the office and nudged his son's head, "Stay awake, you're not here to sleep on the job, you're here because Prowse is coming," his father stated moving behind his desk.

"Are we going to go looking for Gray?" Jake finally asked, it had been on his mind for ages, but he'd been hesitating to ask, he didn't much care for Gray, the man liked attention and Jake had watched his father for years, men who liked attention didn't do well as public figures.

Johnston sighed as he looked up at his son, "I haven't sent anyone because my concern is whatever happened to him would happen to someone else. Do you disagree?"

Jake sat up, out of his slouched position and shook his head, "No, I don't. I assumed that was your reasoning, but there is some talk going around that you intentionally sent him to get him out of the way."

Johnston snorted, amusement filling his older features, "Son, when are you going to realize I could care less about what people think regarding Gray Anderson," then the mayor paused, studying his son. "In truth, I am worried. I'm afraid he's dead, or that he'll lead people back here without intending to."

Jake nodded, understanding his father's concern, "I can send a couple guys out there—"

Johnston shook his head, "No, not yet anyway. We've had no trouble from the outside, I'd rather we keep it that way a little longer."

Before they could say anything further, Bill poked his head into the office, "Jonah just arrived."

Jake took a deep breath, "That's my cue."

"Just…be careful son," Johnston reminded.

Jake gave his father a nod, before he headed out of his father's office and towards the Sheriff's office, there stood Jonah Prowse. Jake took a steadying breath, his mind instantly wandering to his ex-girlfriend. He missed her, every second of every day. "Hello Jonah," Jake greeted.

Jonah looked at Jake for a long moment, studying his bruised features, "Mitch do that?"

"Yeah and my own stupidity," Jake replied.

Jonah snickered, "Always had excess of that, didn't you. I hear Mitchell's been causing trouble."

Jake shook his head, "Don't look so surprised, I doubt he gets out of bed in the morning without your approval."

"I'm not sure that's true, either way I'm here to bail him out."

Jake pursed his lips and nodded, "Alright, lets talk bail. First, you're going to give back the food you stole."

Jonah shook his head, "Now hold up there, Jake. I'm not sure you've noticed, the entire world is coming apart at the seams. What belongs to who is getting a bit fuzzy these days, but I'll see what I can do."

"All right, and you're going to stay away from this place, not just you Mitch. All your men."

Jonah studied the man before him. Jake had once been one of his 'men', now here he stood clearly changed and filled with authority. "Since when are you in a position to speak for this town?"

"Since I was appointed sheriff. Do we have a deal?"

Jonah worked his jaw for a moment, considering his options, before nodding, "We have a deal. I'll bring it tomorrow morning at 11."

Jake nodded, watching the man leave. He felt the nausea and ache in his chest subside at the thought of what Jonah could've done to this town had he been more upset. Clearly the last month had given everyone some time to clear their heads. He glanced up from the floor to see his dad's eyes on him. The older man said nothing, just inclined his head back towards his office.

Jake looked at Jimmy, giving him a nod, before following his father, Jake stepped into the office, his dad closing the door behind him, then handing him a new fresh cup of coffee, "You okay?"

Jake sighed and looked at the black coffee in his cup, "It's my fault, every time I see him, I hate myself a little more."

"Don't," Johnston reassured, "You didn't make Chris go on that robbery, and damned if I don't thank God every day that you didn't go instead."

Jake seemed shocked by that, "You were so angry at me—"

Johnston sighed and leaned on his desk, standing directly across from his boy, "Son, fatherhood is a funny thing. You can be absolutely terrified over something one second, and see it change to fury instantly all because you know your child is safe. I think we can both agree we've made our fair share of mistakes. But when I got that call…" Johnston looked down for a few moments, before looking back up and to Jake's shock, with slightly misty eyes, "I saw Chris covered in blood and I spent the next eight weeks trying not to see you." The two men didn't speak for several minutes, "So, what's the plan."

"We trade Mitch for the food back."

Johnston nodded, "You feel that's a good idea, doing deals with him?"

"I think we're both in the right position to make this benefit us. I think doing this will ensure that we keep a good line with Jonah, while keeping him away from our town as a whole."

"All right, I can agree to that then."

A knock on the Mayor's door interrupted the conversation further, Stanley's head popped into the room, "Sorry to interrupt, but you guys need to get in here."

Jake's brow furrowed, "Why?"

"Gray Anderson is back in town," Stanley replied before leaving them both to stare at one another.

When Johnston and Jake arrived, Gray was seated in a chair, with a cup of water being handed to him, "Thank you. I hitched a ride with a supply truck that was running bottled water to a FEMA camp over near Rogue River," he explained. He looked like hell, bumps, bruises and scrapes.

"FEMA is running, that's good," Jake replied, though he could imagine if FEMA was still open then there were mercenaries out there too. His mind instantly went to Ravenwood, but he quickly dashed that thought as Gray began speaking again.

"About 10 miles outside of Topeka, we hit a roadblock, I mean nothing official, just was a couple of cars rolled out onto the highway. As soon as we stopped, and it was like, a dozen guys just out of nowhere, yanked us out of the truck, and... I fought one of them, and took off on foot, and the driver, they just beat him to death right there on the road. They killed him for just a few cases of water. You guys have any electricity or anything? That was a heck of a pulse."

Johnston replied, "No. Some simple circuits are still working, like flashlights, and electrical razors, but we pretty much lost anything with a circuit board. Radio. Computers. Newer cars."

"What's happening in Topeka?" Bill piped up.

"It's a mess. Nobody knows where the hell the governor is. And I hear the fallout from Lawrence hit them really hard," Gray whispered the last part.

"Whoa, whoa. They hit Lawrence? Why would they hit Lawrence and not Topeka?" Jimmy questioned, confusion lining his face.

Gray shook his head "I honesty don't know."

Jake looked at his father, then back to Gray, "What about any other major cities? New York, DC?"

"They didn't get New York," Gray confirmed.

Hawkins looked surprised, "What? New York made it?"

"Yeah, well after 9/11 they got pretty good at security. Apparently NYPD caught three guys before they flipped the switch. They had a rented van, a 20 kiloton bomb in a steel drum," Gray offered.

Stanley felt sick as he spoke up, "And what about DC?" His thoughts on Mimi, he was somewhere between smitten and maddened by her.

"It's gone."

Stanley turned on his heel and ran as fast as he could out of the building, stomach churning knowing what he had to tell Mimi. He drove as fast as he could home, but even as he pulled up in front of the house he wasn't sure he could tell her. He got out of his truck slowly, walking up to his house. As he opened the door he saw Bonnie in the kitchen, Mimi was sitting on the couch playing with a deck of cards.

"Took you long enough, we were thinking about what to have for lunch…well I was, Bonnie still hates me," Mimi explained not looking up.

Stanley glanced at his sister, who clearly saw something in his face as she signed 'what's wrong?' He held up his hand to her, "Mimi," he whispered, "I need to tell you something," he waited hoping she'd look at him. "Mimi?"

Finally the brown eyes met his and he felt his chest tighten, "What?"

He looked down, "Mimi, Washington DC…is…it's gone."

o0o

"Are you out of your mind!?" Gray snapped at Jake as they all stood in the sheriff's office. Jake looked at his father, who was keeping his best poker face. "You made a deal with Jonah Prowse?" Jake had to remind himself that Gray hadn't always lived here, that he didn't realize Jake knew more about the man than anyone.

"Mitch for the food, this way Jonah stays out of Jericho."

"You can't make deals with guys like him," snapped Gray.

"We discussed this, we agreed on it. You weren't here and frankly you don't run this town," Jake snapped.

"Neither do you!" Gray shouted getting in Jake's face. "I know about Prowse. He hauled material for Stevens. Before I came into the mine, he was stealing 5% off the top. Intimidating suppliers. The guy did 4 years at Lansing for extortion and assault, and you want to negotiate with that guy."

"All right gentleman," Johnston began.

"He has a point Mayor," Jimmy reasoned.

"Look, no disrespect to you Johnston, but you haven't been out there. I've seen what happens when people lose their hold on law and order. You start striking deals with the bad guys; It's the beginning of the end."

Jake clenched his jaw, his father looked at him, as if waiting to see how he handled this, his father was giving him the necessary freedom. "Calm down, alright? We need food more than we need to keep Mitchell Cafferty. Now I'm supposed to make a trade with Jonah in an hour. If I go out there empty handed, I don't know what he's going to do," though Jake could imagine, it involved a knife to the gut or a shot to the head.

"It doesn't matter what he does, he'll know we won't just rollover—"

Johnston held up his hand, "That's enough, Gray, no offense to you," though he didn't mean that as he said it, "I don't think you know Prowse as well as you think. I agree with Jake here. If we screw him over, we're guaranteed to either never see Jake again, or worse they'll come in here killing people."

"Why are you protecting this scum!?" Gray demanded.

Jake tried to count to ten in his head, "We're protecting this town, Gray. He can get us things we're going to need."

"What can he possibly get," snapped Gray.

"He can get food. He can get gas. He can get ammo. Could you get that stuff if we needed it tomorrow? COULD YOU?! Cause he can!" Jake looked at his deputies and then back to Gray and his father, "Whether you like it or not, this town has selected me as sheriff, my father and I made this decision. You weren't there you don't get a say," without another word, Jake stalked out of the office, he felt like hitting something.

He all but stormed into the house, only just catching himself from slamming the door to the house. His mother was in the living room, he didn't even look at her, he stalked up stairs and stepped into his bedroom, his daughter was playing in her crib, chewing on her fingers and another toy, her eyes lit up when she sat him, and she instantly began gurgling.

Jake felt the tension ease away instantly as he picked her up out of her crib and sat down on the floor of his bedroom, "Whatcha got there?" It was a soft book of colors and shapes. Seating her in his lap, he opened the book, "Isn't this a bit ahead of you?" He chuckled.

"Aa!" she shouted at him, poking a finger up at his nose.

He smiled and kissed the finger that barely missed his nostril, "It's not nice to pick your daddy's nose, sweetheart," he laughed. He wasn't alone he heard a snort at that and saw his mother standing in the doorway. "It's grandma!" he cheered, pointing at her.

"Ga!" she pointed to the women and giggled.

"You okay?" Gail questioned as she took a seat on the floor across from her son.

He nodded as his daughter headbutted him in the chin, he shook his head and looked at her, "You're getting dangerous chica," he joked. "I guess I should teach her a little Spanish," he suggested, "Help her remember and appreciate her roots." He brushed the soft baby hair from her face.

"I think that's wonderful, though you'd have to teach us some too."

"You'd be abuela," he offered smiling at her.

Gail grinned as she let the girl clap against her hands, "She's getting vocal, I'm a bit surprised for how young she is."

Jake smirked, "I'd blame Anna, she was always a talker. Freddy talked too, but Anna…that girl could gossip for hours," he pressed a kiss to his daughter's head.

"Who does she look like?"

"Her mom," he turned his daughter and dipped her towards the ground, getting a loud shriek of delight from her as he brought her back up. "She has Anna's beautiful eyes and nose. Which is good, because Freddy was ugly," he joked.

Gail smirked, "I heard Gray was back."

"Asshole," he muttered.

"Ah!" the girl shrieked again, smacking his mouth.

"Ow, hey," he laughed. "Sorry, I'll watch my language."

Gail grinned, "I take it you and he don't agree about things."

"Do we ever?"

Gail sighed, "Seeing as you are your father's son, no I doubt you do," she reasoned.

Jake sat his daughter back down in his lap again and looked at his mother, "I've changed…when I was angry I'd usually hit something, anything…now all I wanted to do was calm down."

"So you came to see your baby."

He shrugged, "She helps me relax."

Gail grinned, "Babies can do that. When they aren't crying of course, what did your dad say about whatever the disagreement was?"

"I supported him," Johnston replied as he stepped into the doorway. He smirked at his family.

"PA!" the baby shouted.

"What's that?" He asked as he got closer crouching, "Did you call Pa, that's right I'm your grandpa," he grinned as he stole the baby and swept her up into the air, causing another delighted shriek, before he blew a raspberry against her cheek.

"He do that with us too?"

"All the time," laughed Gail, "Believe it or not, for a fairly unaffectionate man, he smattered you boys with hugs and kisses when you were infants."

Johnston, who was in the midst of kissing the baby's tiny toes glanced up, "They were cute and couldn't talk back," he replied.

"Gee thanks dad," grinned Jake.

"You did well today," Johnston reassured his son, "Gray doesn't own this town. You'll need to stand your ground if he wins an election."

"I know, he's such a…" Jake sighed, "Listen to me, I'm acting like a damn teenager complaining to you guys."

Gail chortled, "Yeah well, you'll always be our boy."

"GAIL!" April's shout from the other room startled them, still holding his granddaughter the group headed into the next room over, "He's not breathing!" April shouted, "I need to start CPR, help me get him on the floor!" Tears were coursing down his cheeks.

Jake and Johnston moved instantly, Johnston handing his wife Abi and together they moved Eric to the floor, immediately getting out of the way and taking Abi back as April and Gail got to work doing CPR on him.

Jake sank to the floor beside the bed while Johnston sat on the bed staring in horror, "1…2…3…4…5" Gail counted breathes, while April pumped his chest.

"Come on, Eric," Johnston whispered.

Jake felt like the world was collapsing in on him, he watched as his mother and sister worked on his baby brother desperately. It seemed like an eternity, really probably only a few minutes before Eric gave a might gasp, his blue eyes opening and everyone breathed with him. "Roll him over on his side," April whispered, relief filling her features.

Jake and Johnston helped get Eric back on the bed, leaving the room with April so that Gail could get him comfortable again. "I gave him three courses of antibiotics, I can only assume it was too much for his system. He's septic," she whispered as she sat down on the couch.

"How do we treat that?" Johnston asked.

When April didn't reply, it sunk in for the Green men what she was saying, "No!" Jake shouted, "No, he can't die."

She shook her head, tears coursing down her pale features, "If the med-center was operational, maybe. If we could medi-vac him into county hospital in Rogue River, maybe. If we had any heavy-duty meds left in the pharmacy, maybe. Without that, 12 hours. Maybe a day. I'm so sorry."

"What do you need?"

"What?"

Jake sighed, "You said he needs meds, what kind."

April closed her eyes, she didn't want to send out the new father to save him, but she wasn't ready to lose her husband either, "Something strong enough to blow out the infection fast. Let his body heal itself. Cipro, but we ran out weeks ago."

"Rogue River would have it," Jake suggested.

"That's 90 miles away," April reasoned.

Jake nodded, "Guess I'd better get going," he replied as he made his way towards the door.

Johnston stood, following his son, "I'm going with you," he replied.

"Dad, you're the Mayor—" before he could finish his mother came down the stairs, he had never seen her look so terrified in his life. He felt his stomach clench. "Mom?"

"Go, go now," she replied, her voice quiet and serious.

Jake looked at his father, "I can't talk you out of this?"

Johnston shook his head, "Gray said I hadn't been out there, well, I'm going now."

o0o

Jake was packing the car like he would an armory, when he saw Heather frantically running over to him, "I heard you're going to Rogue River!" She looked devastated as she said it, her cheeks pink from running so quickly.

"I can't let him die," he reasoned.

"Jake, you have a daughter."

Jake stopped and looked at her, "So does he."

"What?" Heather and Johnston both stood stock still, having both said it at the same time.

Jake sighed, "April is pregnant, I…the baby needs her daddy. I'm tired of seeing orphans," he snapped.

Heather understood, "I'll help April and your mom take care of him then."

"You don't have to do that," he replied.

"Maybe not, but they could probably use the help between Abigail and your brother."

"That's not your job, she isn't your daughter."

Heather suddenly stood on her tiptoes, got into his space and pressed her sweet soft lips against his mouth. He was in shock at first, and then his arms slid around her waist. He squeezed tight enough to lift her off the ground, "Maybe I'd like her to be," she replied as they pulled apart.

As he lowered her back to the ground he felt his heart pounding, "I'm coming back, and we'll…I don't know, we'll do something," he smiled.

"You'd better."

Johnston cleared his throat and together father and son climbed into the car. Heather stepped back and watched the car roar to life and race off towards Rogue River. She turned around and headed to the Green home, she wasn't their family, but she definitely wanted to be.

"I put Jimmy in charge," Johnston admitted a few miles out.

"I figured as much, they're not going to give Jonah what he wants."

His father nodded grimly, "We'll deal with it when we return," he offered.

They'd been quiet for several miles, when Jake spotted a turned over car on the side of the road, as he felt his son speed up, he looked harder at the car and saw the skid marks, "Jesus," he whispered. "You taking the back roads, I assume?"

"Yeah, I'll make up the time, but we can't risk hitting any road blocks."

"Agreed."

They were quiet for a few moments longer before Johnston spoke up, "So…military?" Johnston spoke, "Your brother figured you'd been in jail."

Jake rolled his eyes, shaking his head over how dense the man was at times, "I was dismissed from the military, actually," Jake replied.

"Dishornable?"

"I received orders to shoot a convoy over in Iraq…and I did what I was told, when I found out it was filled with kids and refugees…I went AWOL. Turns out the US military isn't a big fan of AWOL. "

Johnston was quiet for several minutes, "Honestly, I can't blame you," he whispered.

Jake wasn't sure if he could explain how good it felt to have his father dismiss what he considered among his worst decisions. "I am sorry for what I put you guys through while I was away."

The older Green sat there for a long time, consider his words, "Now that you're a father, I imagine you'll have times when your kids make bad choices and disappoint you. Every kid does it, hell your grandfather and I had a wonderful relationship and I can still remember all the times I disappointment."

"I never meant to disappoint you," Jake offered.

"I know son, and I want to be clear about this, its best you learn the difference now before Abi makes her own fair share of them. I was never disappointed in you as a person. Your actions don't have to define you. I was disappointed in the actions you took as a teenager and young man. I always loved my son." Johnston looked over at his boy, "Always. No matter how frustrated I got with you, and when you were gone your mother and I worried over you. It wasn't easy."

"I am sorry."

Johnston nodded, "You have nothing to be sorry for, son. I'd have probably done the same thing if I'd been in your place."

o0o

Gail sat by her son's side, wiping his brow, checking his fever, worrying over him constantly. April and Heather sat in the room with him, "How long can he hold on like this?" she asked as he son moaned and tried to throw his covers away.

April shook her head, "I can't say for sure, maybe 12 hours."

"12 hours?" Gail asked in shock.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"He's strong," she replied looking at her boy, "He can't die of a fever, not in this day and age," she shook her head. "I waited too long to have him, only to have it end like this. We can't even find ice to cool him off," she was clearly frustrated.

Heather's eyes lit up, "I can make ice, do you have fertilizer? One of my kids did it as a science fair project."

"Yes, in the garage."

Heather nodded, "Great, grab every large bowl you have, preferably metal, get some fresh water from the well it'll be colder, I'll get the fertilizer."

April grinned, "I'll get the bowls."

o0o

As they drove through the outskirts of the city, Jake and Johnston took in the notes on the doors, "I assume those still mean what they used to?" Johnston asked.

"Yeah, evac date, the number alive and the number of dead," Jake replied. "Go in, get the meds and get out?" Jake asked rather than told.

Johnston nodded, "I'll cover you if you want to lead the way," he went straight into Army Ranger mode with ease.

"Yes sir," Jake replied, he had to admit seeing this side of his father was interesting. Jake pulled up to the back of Fillmore County hospital and stopped the car. Getting out they made their way towards the entrance, only to hear a bullet go whizzing by them. Johnston and Jake instantly hit the nearby wall, eyes searching rapidly. Johnston spotted the figure first, and pointed up, "Shooter top floor."

"That wasn't a kill shot," Jake answered.

"No, it certainly wasn't. Let's get inside, see what's going on in there."

Upon entering the hospital it was looking at a battle scene, both father and son paled at the sight of bodies littering the halls and doorways. Jake felt his stomach roll at the recollection of a similar scene only a year and a half earlier. "Oh god," Jake felt his heart hammering in his chest, this was neither the time nor the place for a panic attack, but it was trying to come.

The body appeared out of nowhere, staring at him, blood dripping down her face, her beautiful tiny face. Jake screeched and backed into a wall, he was looking around frantically, no longer in the hospital, but rather in the desert, in a small home. "No, no, I-I'm sorry!" he cried out, hands in front of him, trying to defend himself to her dead corpse.

Johnston saw the moment his son lost the fight to a panic attack, and for the first time he wondered what exactly his boy had gone through. What had caused the PTSD he was quite clearly seeing as the halls were littered with bodies. He was thankful to see Jake put the gun down and back up, while this wasn't the right time, it was happening and he needed to get control, quickly. Stepping over to the terrified and shaking form of his eldest, he placed both his dry, callused hands on either side of the face.

"Jacob, it's dad," he kept his tone calm and soothing, "Come back to me, Jake," he spoke again.

"Dad…" he sounded completely wrecked, his eyes were filled with unshed tears as the man reached out wildly and gripped his father's shirt, his knuckles white as he held tight, while he tried to drag in each breath clearly with great difficulty. His father continued to hold his face, cupping it in his hands.

Johnston forced a smile despite how worried he was, "Hey, kid, I need you here with me right now. Are you all right?"

"I…I…sorry," he whispered as he managed to drag in breath after breath, chest burning from lack of oxygen.

"Shhh, you're fine kid," he pulled his son close and hugged him, really hugged him, held him while he felt the body shake and shiver from fear. "You're safe son," he whispered over and over again.

It took a couple more seconds before he felt his son's composure return to normal, it was clear he was still shaken, but Jake pulled away and nodded, "I'm good," he replied.

Johnston nodded, "I had no doubt," he replied, clapping his son gently on the cheek.

Together the two of them headed up the stairwell towards the top floor, as they stepped out into the main hall each man checked the areas as they continued on, "Rogue River doesn't have a SWAT," Johnston mentioned as he looked at the bodies littering the ground.

Jake felt sick, he had no doubt this was Ravenwood's work, "They don't. These guys aren't cops. They're government contractors. Private Army, a firm, called Ravenwood," he offered up the explanation.

"Mercenaries in Kansas?"

"The military been stretched so thin the past few years, that mercenaries became a commodity. The real question is, did they kill these people?" Jake replied to his father as he continued forward.

o0o

As Heather finished setting everything up for the ice experiment, April came down and smiled at her, "I think it means a lot to them that you're here. I know Gail's out of sorts now, but it does mean a lot to all of us."

"How long have she and the Mayor been married?"

"40 years," April smiled.

"I can't even imagine that," Heather grinned, she wanted to. She prayed she'd found that person in Jake, but there was a lot about the man she didn't know yet.

"Me either, how long does this take?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure, but hopefully not too long. I'll bring it up as soon as I have some."

April smiled and hugged Heather, before heading back upstairs. Heather glanced over at the two month old sitting in the bouncer on the other side of the table, "I think they like me."

"Da!" she squealed, kicking and smiling. Heather moved over to her and unclipped her lifting her out of the bouncer.

"Boy you're getting big quick. Can you say dada?"

"Da!" the girl squealed again as she wiggled in Heather's arms.

Heather smiled, and cuddled the girl, "can I tell you a secret? I think I like your daddy." She seemed to get a gurgle of approval. "We'll keep this between the ladies for now though," pecking the baby on the forehead she moved back to the water, before dancing around the room with the baby.

o0o

As they stepped onto the hospital floor, they quickly found a laser of an action rifle being pointed directly at them, the two of them put their hands in the air, dropping their guns first. Jake could see the man was struggling, he had a serious wound on his leg, his eyes were filled with unshed tears, and it was clear he was struggling to just survive, let alone protect someone.

"We're here for medicine, it's an emergency, we don't want any trouble," Jake offered, hands in the air.

"There's no medicine here," he snapped in return.

"We would like to look for ourselves, we can trade food," Johnston replied.

"You're with Ravenwood," Jake wanted to confirm it.

"How'd you know?" The dying man asked.

"I spent a year and a half in the green zone. Running a supply rig an up and down route from Route Irish to BIAP," Jake explained, seeing his father's eyes widen at that news.

"You were in Iraq?"

Jake shook his head, "No, I just drove a truck. For another contractor. But I met a lot of Ravenwood guys. Where were you?"

"Fallujah," he replied his voice horse and filled with fear.

"Man, I thought I had it bad," Jake whispered.

The man nodded, his gun shaking, he was growing tired clearly, "It was the worst thing I ever lived through. Till now," he added at the end.

Jake felt for the guy, "You mind putting that thing down? I'm just here for medicine, we don't have a lot of time. This is my father, Johnston, I'm Jake. Come on," he took a step closer, hands still up.

"Randy Payton," he stepped forward, putting the gun down and did a quick search of the two men, before nodding, "I'll take you to the doc, follow me."

Johnston was the first to speak, "You're in pretty bad shape."

"Morphine and Instant Coffee are the only thing keeping me standing right now," Randy offered as he led them down the hall littered with people, hobbling the entire way.

"What are you doing in Kansas?" Johnston questioned.

"Not enough national guard. Homeland Security hired us. Brought us in to protect the governor in Nebraska," Randy explained.

"Wait…the Governor's alive?" Jake asked.

Randy shook his head, "Don't know. When we landed, they brought us over here to help FEMA evacuate Rogue River."

"Where to?"

"Uh... FEMA sent up a tent city. Wal-mart parking lot, just a few miles north of here," Randy recalled.

"And these people?" Johnston asked.

"These are the ones that couldn't be moved. Too old. Too sick," just the way he said it, Jake knew the man would be haunted for whatever short time he had remaining on this planet by what had happened here.

"And they shot them," Johnston concluded.

"I tried to move them. But the doctors wouldn't allow it. There was so many of them, crying out, begging, the guys, they just wanted to come in, they wanted to take the medicine, they wanted to leave. But doctor starts arguing with them, then one of our guys, he…he just snapped. And he started firing. Before I knew it, they had all emptied their weapons. I got shot trying to stop it. They left me dead…just like everyone else."

They finally stepped into a room, Randy began to move things, clearly they'd barricaded themselves in the room. It was a mess of things lying on the floor, and a dark skinned man with black hair stood over a body that clearly looked dead, wrists deep as though he was still trying to save the person, "This is the doc. When I came to, he was working on me. Patched me up as best he could, then kept trying to save everyone else."

The distinctly British accent growled in irritation, "I need more bloody light."

"Doc. This is Jake and Johnston. And they need medicine," Randy explained.

"Dr. Kenchy Dhuwalia. Do forgive me if I don't shake your hand," he replied.

Jake gulped at the sight of the open body cavity, suddenly he remembered why he hadn't gone into medicine, picking up the nearby lantern he brought it closer, trying to look everywhere but at the body, "We need Cipro."

Kenchy glanced at him, "Right... morphine's worth a lot more you know?"

Jake's hand shot out and he gripped the man's chin, "I'm not selling it alright? I need it now! It's for my brother, he's dying."

There was a rumble and a squeal from brakes outside, Randy took a quick peak out and if he could've paled more, he would've, "It's Ravenwood."

"How many?" Johnston asked.

"Six, maybe eight of them. They brought a truck; they're going to clean out the hospital. Medicine, supplies, anything that's not held down, and they're going to kill anybody they find alive. We know what they did. We can't let them get inside," Jake explained. He watched in horror as Randy stuff his gun out the edge of the broken window and started shooting. "Hey!" He growled.

"One down," Randy announced somewhat proudly.

Johnston's glare was ice cold, "What about back exits?"

Randy shook his head, "It's barricaded. You wanna live? Stand up and fight," he said passing the gun over to Johnston. "They're coming in."

"Why aren't they shooting?" Jake questioned.

"Everyone's in short supply. They're gonna wait and fight up close."

Jake nodded, "Alright, take some of these clips," he handed a couple of his over.

"Look, we've gotta get the medication and get out of here. Doc! Wheres the Cipro? Where's the Cipro!?" Johnston questioned.

"It'd be safer if we waited til they left the building," Johnston reasoned, "But I'm guessing that'll be a few hours?"

"Yeah, and Eric doesn't have that long," Jake replied quietly.

Kenchy looked at the two Green men, "What's wrong with him?"

"He's septic," Jake replied.

"Sepsis, no no, Cipro won't work. If your brother is in septic shock, that means that his organs are shutting down. That means that by the time you get to him, his body won't even be able to process the Cipro. You need an intravenous drug. It's called Levaquin, its back in the ICU," he explained.

"What's it look like?"

"It's a clear bottle, purple label. You'll need syringes," Kenchy instructed.

Jake nodded, "We'll have to shoot our way through, Dad?"

"I trust you kid, you got an idea?"

"I do, if you're up to it," Jake looked over at Kenchy and gestured to his jacket.

Johnston had to admit he was impressed as his son put the jacket over his shoulders. He'd learned more about his son from this trip alone, and his concerns about the young man's past five years was starting to rapidly mount.

"We'll back you," assured Randy as Jake nodded.

Taking a deep breath, Johnston put his hands up and stepped out into the hallway, "Don't shoot," he pleaded, trying to seem calm and collected.

"Hey!" The lead of the team growled, "On your knees, who are you!?" The man demanded.

"Names Mitch," Johnston lied as he knelt to the ground, not ready to put his people at risk, arms still up in the air. "I'm a doctor, and I'm unarmed. I can help your friend," he offered.

"You shoot at him?"

Johnston shook his head no, "Not me, but I can help."

"Who was it, and who drives the muscle car?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," replied Johnston, "But I do want to help you."

"Tell me where they are!" The lead man growled again, gun shaking.

"They're in the therapy room, downstairs. There's uh... three or four of them," Johnston lied.

"Get them!" yelled Goetz again, watching the rest of his men race downstairs. "All right, lead the way," he ordered Johnston.

Standing, Johnston led them back into the supply room and pointed to the gurney, "Let's get his shirt cut off, I need to grab a few supplies, and something for the pain."

"He can handle the pain," Goetz assured him.

Johnston moved over and spotted the Levaquin, he grabbed a few other items knowing he could help the man, he turned just in time to see his son around the corner, he knelt down as the boy started peppering the room. Running to the other side of his boy, they made their way out the room.

They raced downstairs, Randy stopped by the nurses station, Jake shook his head, "Let's go!"

Randy shook his head, "You go, this is my fault, I deserve this, I emptied my gun up there too. Let me defend you."

Jake nodded, handing the man his gun, "Be safe," he whispered, before he rushed out the door.

Jake ran outside, jumping in the car as Johnston sped off, the explosions of gunfire filling the air as they left. Jake had never seen his father drive so fast in all his life, but he was thankful for it. As they arrived home in just under 80 minutes, Jake, his father and Kenchy raced inside and up the stairs.

Heather was sitting in the stairs, with April at the head of the bed, and Gail at the other side, "Is he alive!?"

"Barely, hurry," April replied.

"What's going on?" Gail questioned, as she wiped her son's brow.

"April, this is Dr. Kenchy."

"April Green, did you get the Cipro?" She questioned.

"This is Levaquin, it will go directly into his system."

Jake knelt down beside his brother's bedside, running his hand over his brother's hair, "Are we in time?" he questioned, his voice barely steady, he felt his mother and father's hands on his shoulder.

"If his body is strong enough, we'll know by morning," replied Kenchy.

"He's strong enough," replied Gail firmly.

"It's going to be okay, little brother," Jake murmured, as he gripped his brother's hand. "It's going to be fine." He was so tired, and not just physically, the panic attack earlier had left him feeling on edge the rest of the afternoon. It had been ages since he'd had one that bad. He felt his father's strong hands massaging his neck and shoulder, and it was nice to feel the familiar strength he'd once felt from his father.

"Why don't you and your father get some rest," Gail suggested, seeing how tired her son looked.

Heather stood, "I'll go clean up downstairs," she offered before stepping out.

Jake glanced over his shoulder, then spotted his mother who smirked and jerked her head towards the door. Jake leaned over and pressed a kiss to his brother's burning forehead before standing and moving out the door. He descended the stairs and smiled, "Thanks for staying with mom and April."

"Glad to be help," she smiled at him.

Jake looked at her beautiful blue eyes, arousal was overtaking the exhaustion, he stepped forward, her back against the railing, and he reached out, gently stroking her cheek, "I…" he closed his eyes. "I'm not very good at being a boyfriend," he whispered.

She chuckled, letting his forehead press against hers, "I'm not looking for perfection."

He reached his arms around her back, pressing his body flush against hers, her arms wrapped around his neck. He paused for the briefest second before their lips pressed together. The first kiss had been passionate and wrought with desperation. This one was slow, and exploring, he felt his heart pound in his ears as he tried to control his body. He didn't want to rush this, she didn't hesitate though in returning the kiss with fervor. When they finally pulled apart, their lips a bit swollen from kissing, both breathing heavily from arousal, she smiled, "I should probably go home," she murmured.

"Want me to walk you?"

She shook her head, "Best not, don't want someone to arrest us for getting it on in the streets."

He laughed as he rested his head against her shoulder, she ran her fingers through his hair, caressing him, occasionally pressing a kiss to the side of his head, "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah," he replied as he pulled his head back and smiled at her, "Tomorrow."

"Bye."

He watched her leave, startled when he felt his father's hand on his shoulder, "You all right?"

"How'd you know Mom was…you know the one?"

Johnston chuckled as the two sat on the bottom two steps, "I just did, truthfully. I can't really explain it. She was…perfect," he offered as if it explained everything.

"I think I might be falling in love…admittedly it's a bit new for me."

Johnston smirked as he pulled his son close for a minute, "I'm sure you'll manage just fine. You doin' okay?"

Jake let out a shaky sigh, "Hell no, I'm exhausted but every time I close my eyes…" he shook his head, "I'm sorry."

"What on earth for?"

"Freaking out on you earlier," Jake was proud of being able to control his emotions. He preferred to be in complete control of his emotions, but then again he'd never been particularly good at that.

"You ever been checked out for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?"

Jake snickered, "I'm fine dad."

"No you aren't, son. Yes, you've handled yourself remarkably, but I hear you some nights, when you've had nightmares. And what I saw, son it's okay to admit you aren't always ok."

"I'm not ready to talk about it," Jake offered, before he stood and headed back upstairs.

Johnston sighed, he couldn't press his son to talk if the man wasn't ready, but whatever had caused the reaction, clearly it needed to be addressed. For the time being however, he wasn't going to press the issue any further.

o0o

The cry of terror shattered the silence of the night, Johnston was jerked out of his sleep by the sound, his wife glanced over at him, "I'll take care of him," he offered, he'd expected some sort of a reaction after what the man had been thru today.

Johnston pulled on his robe and stepped into the hallway, he was about to head into Jake's room when he noticed the bathroom light on under the door and the sound of vomiting just beyond the door. April stepped out of Eric and her room, "Is he okay?"

Johnston shook his head wearily, "It's been a rough day, he's not sick," Johnston reassured as he knocked on the bathroom door. He heard a murmur from inside that informed him it was open. He pushed the door gently, stepping in and shutting it behind him to give them both some privacy.

Jake sat in his boxers on the floor, face red from exertion, tear tracks on his face, his hear covered in sweat, in fact his body shone with sweat. Johnston could see slight tremors in his son's body. Johnston sat down beside his son against the tub, quiet for a long moment. Reaching out he wrapped an arm around his son's bare shoulder and drew him close. He could feel Jake resist at first, but then he felt the break, he felt the face buried against his neck and chest. His other hand came up to hold his son's head, pressing a kiss to his son's hair. "When you're ready, son," he murmured as his son wept in his arms for the first time since he was a small child.

TBC


End file.
